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] A pilot programme covering 200 hectares was launched in 2003 which saw bait lines spaced 100m apart through the forest, with bait stations every 50m.[4] By 2019, the project covered 2,270 hectares.[5]
Species reintroduction
Since the beginning of the project, whitehead (pōpokatea), North Island robin (toutouwai), and kokako have been released. Hihi (stitchbird) were also released but the translocation was not successful.[6]
References
- "Ark in the Park". Forest & Bird. 27 March 2019.
- "Ark in the Park". Nature Space.
- "History of Ark in the Park". Nature Space. 27 March 2019.
- "Ark Timeline 2" (PDF). Ark in the Park.
- "The Success of Bufferzones" (PDF). Forest & Bird Waitakere Branch Newsletter.
- "Ark in the Park facilitating eDNA research". www.biologicalheritage.nz. Retrieved 27 March 2019.