Whats happening
The Forest (Te Wao Nui a Tāne)
Award-winning filmmaker, Sam Peacocke, spent time in The Forest with New Zealand fauna zookeeper, Natalie, in the lead up to Te Wao Nui opening
Before humans came to this land, New Zealand was almost completely covered in forest. Many of New Zealand's unique native species called these forests home - the beautiful sounds of the songbirds echoed throughout towering stands of kauri, kahikatea, and our other native trees.
While many of these forests have disappeared, those that remain are revered for their beauty and the life they support. The Forest (Te Wao Nui a Tāne) habitat in Te Wao Nui celebrates our forests and the birds that call it home. From the kaka and kukupa to the kakariki and tui, these birds have long been icons of our wildlife.
The Forest takes visitors out of the city to a habitat defined by birdsong, rustling leaves, and a trickling stream. Representative of the forests of the Waitakere Ranges, this is a reminder of the beauty around us and the forest's grace and power. With so many forests already lost, now is your chance to stand up and be a kaitiaki (guardian) for those that remain
Some species in The Forest: Kūkupa (also known as kereru/New Zealand wood pigeon), North Island kākā, yellow-crowned kākāriki, red-crowned kākāriki, silvereye (tahōu), tui, and bellbird (korimako)