Kapiti Island

Kapiti Island is a natural reserve that is separated from the main island by the Rauoterangi channel. The island is well known by the New Zealanders, considered one of New Zealand's most important sites for bird recovery, as well as a major breeding site for sea birds.

The Vegetation is very similar to the one we can found in the south of Chile, full of trees and different type of plants. When we were at the top of the hill (which took as about one hour walking), we had a very beautiful sight. We could see the sea and the whole city of Wellington. The sight we had over there was very similar to the one we saw at “Fray Jorge” last year on the trip to the north of Chile.

We had the opportunity to see different type of birds, but the one that I liked the most was the “Weka”, a type of bird very similar to the “Kiwi”. Unfortunately we couldn’t see any kiwi, as they go out of their shelters only at night. Some of the birds that are on this natural reserve are takahe, kokako, brown teal, stitchbirds, and tieke (saddleback), miromiro, piwakawaka, ruru, weka (hybrid of North and South Island subspecies), hihi, and toutouwai. The Brown Kiwi and Little Spotted Kiwi were released on the island between 1890 and 1910, and the island is now the stronghold for the latter species.


By Lucas Gonzalez.