Pukaha National Wildlife Centre

Pukaha is New Zealand's National Wildlife Centre for breeding threatened species as well as a place where visitors can get close to some of New Zealand's most threatened native birds including kiwi, hihi, kaka and kokako.

See the kiwi in the Kiwi House. Check out the movies in the theatre and during October to March you may even get to spot a kiwi chick being fed at noon.

Seven daily ranger talks. Starting with takahe at 10.30, tuatara at 11.30, kiwi at noon. Then if you are keen, join the rangers in the river during the eel talk and feed. At 2.15 we talk about our kokako, Kahurangi. She’s the only kokako in an aviary in New Zealand – find out her story. At 3pm we give our wild kaka a snack – find out why we call it the kaka ‘circus’! And then at 4pm we have our final talk in the new Free Flight aviary about our restoration work in the 942 hectare Pukaha forest.

The Free Flight aviary is Pukaha’s newest attraction; home to six different species of birds including whio and pateke which are part of national breeding programmes.

Enjoy a coffee and a light meal in Wild Café which overlooks the takahe enclosure. Just watch out that one of our kaka doesn’t try and enjoy your meal too!

Open daily except Christmas Day from 9am - 4.30pm (Last entry 4pm).