Page updated: June 2010

Contact Us: mail@ruggedyrange.com

From 1st July 2003 we have been donating some of our revenue to help fund our own conservation project. So far we have raised over $6,000.00. Our aim is primarily to promote conservation and reseach and help better understand our native species and suitable conservation techniques. We would also like to encourage clients to actively participate in conservation projects. This is a long term project and further details will be posted on this website as they are finalised.

You can help by participating in one of our guided trips, water taxi charters or shuttle tours.

"A Mystery - The Orange-wattled Crow"

The Kokako belongs to an endemic and ancient species of New Zealand birds that has an almost haunting organ or flute like call. Not so long ago, there were two subspecies: the North Island Kokako - the blue-wattled crow and the South Island Kokako - the orange-wattled crow. Although the North Island Kokako still exists today, albeit in low number, the South Island Kokako has not been officially sited in recent decades.

Image: PUBL-0012-01 - John Gerrard Keulemans' Blue-wattled crow, Glaucopis wilsoni. Orange-wattled crow, Glaucopis cinerea. This is published as Plate I. 1888, in Walter Lawry Buller's book, A history of the birds of New Zealand. 2d. ed. (Volume I. London, 1888).
"Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of this image."