Ark in the Park (conservation project)

Ark in the Park is an open sanctuary and conservation project in the Waitākere Ranges near Auckland.

[1] It is a partnership between Forest & Bird and Auckland Council that is supported by Te Kawerau ā Maki[1] that aims to remove non-native pest mammals and predators and re-introduce species that were made extinct in the area.

[2] The project was started in 2002 by a small group of volunteers,[3] who set traps for pest species within the Ark in the Park sanctuary area.

[6] A number of native bird species have been reintroduced to the park, beginning with whitehead (pōpokatea) and North Island robin (toutouwai).

[7][8] In 2009, North Island kōkako were reintroduced to the area; having last been seen in the ranges in the 1950s.