Kakapo will be introduced to Maungatautari. Photo – Department of Conservation.
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is advertising for a full time general manager as part of a move to bolster fundraising and its profile.
Chief executive Andrew Peckham, who took up the post in December, said the plan is for a full time role to be created, and when it is filled, he will revert to holding a position on the board.
Andrew Peckham
“I’ll help that person arrive – we feel we need to focus on fundraising – we rely on it and the landscape has changed over the last six to eight months,” he said.
“We are going okay, but this needs attention and we want a full time person in the role.”
Peckham is employed for 20 hours a week and was not able to commit to a full time role.
“It wasn’t an option to go to 40 hours – I’m gracious about it – I put my hand up and said this would be a good move.”
Peckham, a chartered accountant, has filled leadership roles at Air New Zealand, Mercury and Taupo District Council.
He grew up in the Waikato and studied at St Paul’s Collegiate and the University of Waikato.
An advertisement for the new role notes “we work to protect an ancient forest which is home to many of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most endangered species – including kiwi, kākā, takahē, bats, frogs, tuatara and giant wētā. Our successful kiwi recovery programme has regenerated kiwi numbers from zero on the mountain in 2006 to over 2000 birds today.”
Peckham will still be in his role when the maunga’s next high profile residents arrive.
Kākāpō will be introduced – possibly before the end of this month – to a new enclosure designed to prevent them climbing out of the pest proof fence which has enabled the Maungatautari project to succeed.
The nocturnal flightless parrot’s conservation status is listed as nationally critical – the total known population is about 250. It is the only flightless parrot – and the heaviest. It was once one of the most common birds in New Zealand – but introduced predators almost wiped the bird out and a recovery programme has involved moving the birds to offshore islands.
A return to Maungatautari will also be a return to mainland New Zealand.
