Te Rere

Te Rere yellow-eyed penguin reserve on the Catlins coast is owned by the Forest and Bird Society, and managed by the Southland Branch of the society, who have been involved in its protection and restoration for over 20 years.

Yellow-eyed penguins are amongst the rarest penguins in the world.

Te Rere reserve was the largest single site for them on the mainland of New Zealand until February 1995, when a disastrous fire swept through the reserve killing many penguins and damaging plantings and forest areas. Since then, Southland Branch has worked hard to increase fire control and fire awareness in the community, and has increased its planting effort.

With the help of Lotteries funding Southland Branch has employed a part time caretaker to oversee the reserve, undertaking weed and pest control at Te Rere, but the restoration relies on voluntary effort for the majority of the work. Te Rere is a very long term restoration project and everybody's help is needed and appreciated.

Although not generally open to the public, the public may visit Te Rere on one of their 6 working days or penguin counts held each year. The programme of visits is arranged in October for the following year. Anyone is welcome, you don't have to be a Forest and Bird member.

For more detailed information on Te Rere, see an article from Forest & Bird magazine: "After the Fire" (by Fergus Sutherland).

CAN YOU SPARE SOME TIME TO HELP?? See our Diary of Events for our next visit to Te Rere, and you can contact Brian Rance direct.