Latest news with #Kākā
Otago Daily Times
an hour ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Kākā spread their wings, trade sanctuary for urban living
A kākā makes itself at home in a Dunedin garden, near the Kensington Oval yesterday. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Telling people you have seen a flying pig is probably not a good idea. But if you have seen an endangered kākā flying around the Dunedin CBD lately, you are not going crazy. A Dunedin resident living near the Kensington Oval said she got a hell of a fright a couple of days ago when the native parrot flew into her lounge window. "It was spread-eagled against the window. "And the dog went crazy. "Then it flew into the tree and sat there for a while, like right outside our window. "It was amazing. And then it flew away." She said it returned again yesterday. "It was sitting in the apple tree, just having a big munch on a Granny Smith. It loved it. "It didn't seem to be bothered that we were there." It had also been eating wild banana passionfruit from a vine in the area. She had since notified the Department of Conservation and the Orokonui Ecosanctuary of the sighting, and the ecosanctuary had advised her not to feed it, or even give it sugar water. "They said if we gave it sugar water, we were in danger of giving it a bacterial infection, and we should just leave it be." Kākā are skilled at finding food in spaces that are healthy for them, but they are curious and can be harmed by encounters with foreign foods, objects and predatory species. Ecosanctuary staff urged Dunedin residents to support the parrots by not offering food or sugar water; avoiding socialising with them; keeping pets inside; engaging in habitat regeneration of native plants; and improving predator control such as traps for rats, stoats, ferrets and weasels. Ecosanctuary operations manager Elton Smith said her report was one of many about kākā flying around the greater Dunedin area in recent weeks. "We have been aware of at least one kākā flying around in the city for the past three weeks or so. "There's also been kākā seen in Mosgiel, Warrington, Waitati — those sort of areas." The kākā was "guaranteed" to be from the Orokonui Ecosanctuary. They could fly up to 20km in a day, and he believed it was part of a natural dispersal, where the birds left the ecosanctuary to find their own space. "At Orokonui, we're probably reaching our capacity in terms of kākā," Mr Smith said. "So the ones we do have are now establishing themselves outside the sanctuary — they're getting around, looking for new territory. "There's only so many kākā we can have inside, and in order to have a large, robust kākā population, they do need to establish outside the sanctuary. "There are more and more observations from the general public that would suggest that's what's happening. "And there's been good evidence to show that they have been breeding on the outside, too." Mr Smith was delighted to see they were surviving on their own, outside the boundaries of the ecosanctuary. "It is really good news. It's a sign that the population is increasing." He believed they would become a much more frequent sight around the Dunedin area in coming years, as the outside population grew. "It should be like what's happened in Wellington. "They started off in a sanctuary, and now they're very common, all throughout Wellington and beyond."
Otago Daily Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Dunedin Midwinter Carnival 2025
One of our city's most iconic community events, the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival, is lighting the way not just with lanterns, but with meaningful partnerships that bring together conservation, art, and education. Through a series of collaborations, the Carnival is deepening its community connections and expanding the impact of its creative work across Ōtepoti/Dunedin. Nocturnal Forest Lantern Experience: A Magical Fusion of Art and Nature Earlier this year in April, during the Wild Dunedin Festival of Nature, we saw this in action when a newly formed partnership between Orokonui Ecosanctuary and The Dunedin Midwinter Carnival bought you the Orokonui Manu Huru - Nocturnal Forest Lantern Experience. The fundraising event, a collaboration between the two organisations merging conservation and art, was a guided evening walk through Orokonui's native forest which was brought to life by more than fifty thoughtfully curated lanterns celebrating Aotearoa's native wildlife. 'We were blessed with the light of the almost full moon as audiences were guided through the bush accompanied by the sounds of taoka pūoro, catching glimpses of Takahē, Kākā and of course our lanterns. We chose lanterns to highlight the natural fauna of the ecosanctuary, such as; Mokomoko/Lizard, Kōkō/Tui plus we had few special surprises such as our cheeky Moa, and the fearsome Pouākai/Haast Eagle.' Says Xanthe Naylor Duneidn Midwinter Carnival Event Manager. The experience was enhanced by the accompanying soundtrack; a specially composed soundscape by Madison Kelly (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Pākehā), lead guide at Orokonui. Using taoka pūoro, Madison created a sonic journey through dusk, night, and dawn at Orokonui evoking the flight of manu/birds like Kākā, Tokoeka, and Ruru, as well as the spiritual echoes of extinct species such as Moa. Live taoka pūoro performances by Madison and whānau from Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, Moewai Marsh, and Miriama Parata, added depth and mana to the event. The event not only captivated audiences but also raised vital funds for both organisations, exemplifying the beauty and benefit of community-led collaboration. 'The opportunity to collaborate with the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival has been fantastic for us. As two not-for-profit community-driven organisations, we have a lot in common, and the Manu Huru event has allowed us to utilise our respective strengths to pull together a really magical event celebrating wildlife, arts, and culture. We're super excited by how this partnership can grow into the future providing exciting experiences to introduce new people to both the sanctuary and the Carnival.' Says Amanda Symon General Manager Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Growing Creative Futures with Otago Polytechnic The Midwinter Carnival was excited to continue, and evolve, their valued partnership with Otago Polytechnic's School of Art, Design and Architecture. 'We were thrilled to once again partner with the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival, our second collaboration, and this time, it's bigger and better than ever.' Says Denise Narciso Principal Lecturer Projects and Internships Coordinator. The Midwinter Carnival team has been working alongside lecturers and 30 students on real-world creative projects. Students developed pitches across areas such as projection design, branding, interactive installations, and social media strategy. Several proposals were selected, and moved into production. This opportunity has given students valuable hands-on experience in client communication, research, idea development and collaboration; learning to diversify their design approaches, enhancing existing skills, and discovering new tools and techniques. 'The classroom becomes a dynamic studio environment that mirrors industry practices, where critique, teamwork, meetings, and presentations are part of the daily routine. We're now in the production phase, and there's a real buzz as the final designs start to take shape. We can't wait to see it all come together!' says Denise Narciso. Through this collaboration the community can expect to see some exciting new additions to this year's Midwinter Carnival. Creative Connections with Tūhura Otago Museum This year has also seen a new development in regards to the lantern making workshops. The Dunedin Midwinter Carnival has joined forces with Tūhura - Otago Museum and launched an adult lantern-making workshop as part of their Wine and Design series. These adult workshops will coincide with the Meridian Mall community lantern workshops and will be held this May 27 and 28 at Tūhura - Otago Museum. These after-hours sessions offer participants a chance to engage creatively with more intricate lantern designs, in a more relaxed environment, tickets also include a glass of wine and canapés. 'We are super excited to host these epic workshops! Tūhura is so lucky to be able to collaborate with such amazing local events and help showcase the mahi that goes into them.' Says Jessica Hatfield Senior Events Coordinator at Tūhura Otago Museum. Through these collaborations, the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival is fostering strong connections between artists, educators, conservationists, and learners; while continuing to inspire awe through light, creativity, and shared celebration. Be a part of the magic this June 27 and 28, as First Church and surrounding grounds are transformed into a luminous celebration of light with the theme Wings of Wonder . Enjoy the warmth of community and fly into the winter night, where wonder knows no bounds and shimmering lanterns take flight - from native birds of Aotearoa and mythical creatures that soar through the sky, to the graceful wings of butterflies. Let your imagination take wing as you weave through stunning lantern displays, interactive installations, and awe-inspiring performances. Event, pay-it-forward, and workshop tickets are all available now via ENDS
