More Meet the Locals videos
Follow a DOC ranger as she releases tuatara into the wild on Little Barrier Island (Hauturu-o-Toi). Or check out Little Barrier Island Meet the Locals videos, a series of four-minute mini-documentaries exploring the stories of New Zealand's wildlife and wild places, and the people working to protect them.
Watch a video of the release of 22 tuatara from a breeding facility into the wild on Little Barrier Island/Hauturu-o-Toi.
Hauturu or Little Barrier Island, near Auckland, has been described as the 'jewel in the crown' of New Zealand's protected islands. Watch this video to see why it's so special.
Hihi are one of NZ's rarest birds, and became extinct on the mainland over a hundred years ago. Luckily, the island of Hauturu remained free from most predators, and has been a lifeboat for their survival.
This video shows how the removal of rats from Little Barrier Island or Hauturu has cleared the way for tuatara as well as many other native species to thrive in the kind of place New Zealand once was.
The kākā is one of New Zealand's three native parrots. Despite being hammered by predators such as cats, rats and stoats, these inquisitive birds are making a comeback on predator-free offshore islands.
Weeds in New Zealand are sometimes underrated as a pest. On Hauturu weeding can mean some extreme antics, including abseiling off a cliff to get inaccessible weeds.
Islands of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park booklet
NZ weather
New Zealand topographic maps are available from DOC Visitor Centres
Hauturu Little Barrier Island Supporters Trust www.littlebarrierisland.org.nz
Follow the Outdoor Safety Code: 1. Plan your trip 2. Tell someone 3. Be aware of the weather 4. Know your limits 5. Take sufficient supplies
Learn more
Safety