Behind the Fence

There's a $2.3 million dollar fence in downtown Wellington. It surrounds the Kaori Predator Free Wildlife Sanctuary, the only such urban enclave in the world, and it's quite a thing to see. Higher then a cat can jump, deeper then a rabbit or a rat can dig, it was the first attempt at creating a reserve in mainland New Zealand, and they put it right in the capital city, where no one can mistake it's significance.

It's wonderful inside, with native forest clambering along the walls of the valley, and the songs of the native birds echoing across the decommissioned reservoir. We spent a glorious afternoon here, making faces at Kaka, the inquisitive native parrots, and chasing the little White Heads (left) and Silver Eyes (right) as they darted through the trees.

Birdlist Kaori Sanctuary