Southern Lakes Sanctuary

An independent technical assessment concluded that if the Southern Lakes Sanctuary could be established, the protection of  “…threatened indigenous wildlife would be achieved that has no equal in any other region in New Zealand.” (Wildlands 2020)

The diverse range of indigenous fauna in the Southern Lakes Sanctuary includes high alpine species like the iconic kea, diminutive rock wren and elusive orange spotted gecko, forest birds such as the kaka and mohua, braided river birds like the wrybill and banded dotterel, wetland birds such as the marsh crake, the pekapeka / long tailed bat, and dryland specialists like grand and Otago skinks and pihoihoi / NZ pipit. These incredible animals, most unique to Aotearoa/ New Zealand, are among more than 20 species that are at-risk or threatened that can be supported by the work of the SLS.

The long-term vision of the Southern Lakes Sanctuary and its consortium members is to see predators eradicated from the Southern Lakes region. This can only be achieved by a phased approach across the 660,000 ha project area, a stepwise eradication of predators at selected sites eventually joining to achieve regional eradication.

We are fortunate to enjoy an intricate web of connectivity between dozens of volunteer groups and their communities, and can now build on their efforts with professional staff who can go deeper into our forests and higher up our mountains to protected the taonga species that are only just clinging on.

With your help, we can continue to pursue our mission of protecting these incredible natives species for generations to come. There are many ways to get involved in the Southern lakes Sanctuary – learn how you can do so by visiting our website or contacting us directly.