Submitted by Amanda Ritter on the 2018 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Animal and Food Sciences…
Keas, kiwis and deer, oh my! Such an adventure at Willowbank Wildlife Preserve. Being away from animals for the past two weeks has been tough, but meeting all the animals at Willowbank was exactly what I needed to shake off the slight feeling of homesickness. Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is home to many animals in rehabilitation or species in recovery efforts to save their population. Keas were one of our first stops. Keas can only be found in a few parts of the island and some farmers say they are a threat to their livestock and because of this, their numbers are dwindling. One specific kea named Bruce is a permanent resident at the reserve due to the fact that his beak had been either shot off or caught in a trap so they had to surgically remove the upper portion. Since he has had time to adjust to life without a top beak, he is getting around just fine. Other keas in that section will be rehabilitated and released back to where they came from. I think this is a great effort toward restoring the natural population. We also learned about how the kiwi bird population is suffering and how the reserve is raising chicks and then releasing them back to the same grounds they got the eggs from. They have seen their hard work pay off. Kiwis they have hatched and released are now reproducing and further increasing their population. On our way through the reserve, we also learned about Māori language. For example, we saw a Kuni Kuni pig which in the Māori language means “fat fat pig”. Speaking about Māori culture, we had a dinner and a welcoming the traditional Māori way. This gave me a greater appreciation for their culture. I had learned some about it on my own time, but seeing the Māori ritual in person was very impressive. Their welcoming was a lot of loud yelling and chanting which was very intimidating. If I was alone and I saw this, I would be super scared. But knowing this was a welcoming and how everyone was treated for protection of their own tribe was amazing. The effort they put in to protect their people is very admirable. After they knew we weren’t a threat, they welcomed us in and treated us like we were one of their own. I love that their culture was accepting of others even if they didn’t know the other. Makes you think about how we should follow in their footsteps and welcome everyone into our lives. Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is a wonderful place to learn about the animals that are present in New Zealand, but also give you a great appreciation for the Māori culture.