Wildlife heads back to work
The animals living at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari have returned to work after enjoying an impromptu, extended holiday, from their human visitors.
The doors to the ecological and conservation park have reopened to the public after spending 59 days in lockdown mode.
Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust, which manages the sanctuary, estimates it missed out on hosting about 3200 visitors from March to May, during the Covid-19 alert.
Chief executive Phil Lyons said it equated to lost revenue of about $91,000.
‘‘We have three key areas, that’s conservation, education and the visitor experience and normally the revenue we earn is put back into those areas.
‘‘Our costs were also lower during that time, that’s correct, but we wanted to keep providing staff to look after the sanctuary during the lockdown.’’
The sanctuary has 14 staff and achieved the Government wage subsidy, $85,000 in total, to keep everyone employed through the lockdown. A team continued to look after the ecological park, to manage its predator proof fence and respond to any breaches.
Details of the work completed through the alert levels form part of the sanctuary’s 2019-20 annual report to be reviewed by the Waipa¯ District Council’s Maungatautari Reserve Committee on June 25.
The visitor centre re-opened on May 20 and it recorded 289 visitors for the rest of the month, 60 per cent from the greater Waikato and 11 visitors were overseas ‘‘lockdown refugees’’.
The report also outlined progress on plans to build a threeclassroom education centre at the sanctuary.
Near the end of level 2, the trust received news it had been granted $327,000 from the Lotteries Environment and Heritage fund, the final contribution needed for the $1m education centre project.
‘‘It will mean we’ll be able to generate a few jobs through the construction process and a few extra jobs (four) for us at the education centre once it opens. We’re looking at November next year for it to open, that’s provisional at the moment.’’
The education centre will be separate, but near, the existing Manu Tioriori visitor centre office. It will be for larger groups of visitors to learn and be part of the conservation and restoration work on the maunga.
Community, volunteer, corporate and VIP events will take place there as well as workshops, multimedia and conference presentations.
The education centre will be able to accommodate up to 90 students, teachers, parents and overnight camping of up to 40 people is a possibility.