Conservation

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Conservation - Cape Sanctuary

Andy Lowe, Managing Director of Lowe Corporation, along with Julian Robertson and the Hansen family are the land owners and drivers of the Cape Sanctuary wildlife restoration project.

Andy and Liz Lowe are passionate about conservation and oversee the management and administration of the project.

Established in 2006 Cape Sanctuary is a wildlife restoration project located on the Cape Kidnappers peninsula, Hawke's Bay - approximately 30 minutes drive south of Napier.

The vision for Cape Sanctuary extends beyond 50 years to restore the coastal communities of land and sea birds, reptiles and invertebrates that would once have existed on the peninsula. The project aims to achieve nationally significant species conservation gains within a highly modified farming and multi-use landscape including forestry, tourism and recreation.

Ecosystem Types

The 2500 ha behind the fence is a mosaic of grazed farmland (650 ha), pine forest (350 ha), regenerating native forest (180 ha), vegetated gullies and coastal cliffs (900 ha), sand dunes (300 ha), and a world famous gannet colony.

Volunteers

Volunteers play a huge part in this project. Over 600 have been involved with 50+ active monthly with regular chores such as servicing bait stations, monitoring rodents, feeding seabird chicks, feeding Kaka, monitoring Weta and Pateke, growing plants, planting plants, driving Kiwi eggs and chicks, designing avaries, and building boxes and burrows. The Department of Conservation and local Iwi have also been very supportive of the efforts of the landowners. The achievements thus far would not have happened without the support of so many people.

Contact Us

Manager: Rachel Ward, 027 548 9566

Key milestones of Cape Sanctuary

Year	Key Milestone/s
2006	Established and fenced Pest destruction program commenced
2007	Introduction of native birds: Tomtits Whiteheads Rifleman Robins
2008	North Island Brown Kiwi releases begin Pateke or brown teal established Grey faced petrel translocations begin (6 year programme)
2009	Banded rail released
2010	Cook's petrel transfers begin (six year programme)
2011	Diving petrel transfers begin (four year programme)
2012	60 Tuatara released into a protected environment within the sanctuary Kakariki or Red-crowned parakeet released at the sanctuary and a captive breed and release programme initiated A pair of takahe released in a protected area within the sanctuary A pair of kaka established at the sanctuary for the breed to release programme
2013	January A Takahe chick was born to one of the two birds released in September 2012. Febuary 200 Cook Strait Giant Weta transferred to the Seabird site at Cape Sanctuary March 120 Tieke or Saddleback transferred from Cuvier Island, Coromandel to the Cape Sanctuary

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