Page 21 - 2008 NZ Subantarctic Islands

In addition to creating a predator-free environment, the Trust was

committed to the reintroduction of native birds, plants and the
famous “living fossil” from the Age of Dinosaurs, the tuatara.

Several bird species missing from the Wellington environs for
many years have been successfully returned to this habitat: the

stitchbird, the saddleback, the bellbird, and the tui, among others.
Native trees and shrubs have been planted while young stands of
native hardwoods are encouraged through eradication of

competing non-native species.

One of the signs of the early achievements of this valuable
Sanctuary is the success of many of the returned bird species. Not

only are these birds easily seen and counted within the reserve,
many have begun flying into the Wellington neighborhoods to

visit bird feeders and back lawns, delighting the city dwellers who
have so strongly supported this effort. Research has confirmed
that the numbers of these birds are rising as they are no longer

predated by creatures for which evolution provided no defense.
The living fossil, the iguana-like reptile, the tuatara, has also been

reintroduced to Sanctuary Valley and is also thriving here. The
creature has been present on New Zealand since the Age of the

Dinosaurs but human destruction of its habitat, hunting,
predation by mammals with loss of eggs and young had long ago

put the creature on the endangered animal list. Its success here is
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