Research

Ngā Manu has a long history of supporting research in captive animals and aspects of the Reserve flora and fauna. The Trust supports study grants through Victoria University (https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/scholarships/current/nga-manu-trust-research-scholarship) and Massey University. We can also offer accommodation in Theo’s Cottage for researchers working on-site.

Research at Ngā Manu has resulted in papers on various aspects of the biology of tuatara, kereru, Dactylanthus, mudfish, mosquito, swamp maire and bird rehabilitation to name just a few. Full details on research projects are available on request.

Ngā Manu Images is a vast collection of nature images captured by ngā Manu founders Peter McKenzie and David Mudge. Both men pioneered new techniques such as time-lapse photography. They trained their observations on drama such as nest predation, the pollination of Dactylanthus by bats, and extraordinary closeups of birds feeding. Many of the events had never been captured before and added to our understanding of complex biological relationships. Many of the images stand on the merits of their beauty alone. Both men took the view that the images should be freely available for non-commercial purposes, and especially for school students. The images featured on our website are only a small portion of what is available upon request.