For two weeks in late March and early April 2026, Botany Curator Heidi Meudt took some time off botany work to be a Department of Conservation volunteer for birds – specifically, a volunteer cook for the Kākāpō Recovery team. For Heidi, this was the opportunity of a lifetime to visit this isolated, predator-free biological paradise. She shows how she made a small, personal contribution to the conservation of the kākāpō as well as to the team that looks after these incredible birds.
A bit of history
In August 2025, I was one of many who applied online to be a volunteer for the upcoming kākāpō breeding season with the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) Kākāpō Recovery team. The team was looking for feed out volunteers and cooks, and I applied for both. Three months later, I was thrilled when I got the email telling me that I had been chosen to be a volunteer cook on Pukenui Anchor Island for two weeks in late March/early April 2026. As a botanist who also loves birds (especially parrots), I felt that I had won the lottery.
Pukenui is located in Tamatea Dusky Sound, southwest of the much larger Tau Moana Resolution Island, in Fiordland, South Island, Aotearoa New Zealand. There is a lot of history in this area, which was seasonally occupied by Māori for centuries.
In 1773, Pukenui was the very first place the HMS Resolution anchored in Aotearoa during James Cook’s second voyage, hence the English name for this island, Anchor Island. Over a century later, the first ever kākāpō ranger, Richard Henry, transferred native birds including kākāpō to islands in Tamatea, including Pukenui.
Today, Pukenui is part of Te Rua-o-te-moko Fiordland National Park and is one of only three predator-free breeding islands that are home to almost the entire known kākāpō population. DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery team, together with Ngāi Tahu and many other collaborators and supporters, actively work to protect these birds, which are critically threatened as the population currently comprises only 235 adult birds.
Kākāpō only breed every 2–5 years, and when they do, the team of DOC staff, veterinarians, and volunteers kicks into high gear with regular and intensive hands-on management of kākāpō nests, eggs, chicks and adult birds.
Arrival on the island
On 25 March, after going through a rigorous biosecurity process of all my clothes and gear, I flew in a helicopter with four others from the team – and two kākāpō chicks returning from Dunedin Wildlife Hospital – to Pukenui. During the half-hour flight, we watched in awe as Fiordland’s incredible peaks and fiords passed underneath us, until we approached Tamatea and finally Pukenui.
Here’s a short video I took from the helicopter, as we approached Pukenui Anchor Island:
After landing at the helipad near Anchor Hut, we quickly formed human chains to get all the food and bags off the helicopter, and then we transferred boxes of rubbish and recycling from the previous week into the helicopter. Quick hugs, hellos and goodbyes were shared, as half of the team that had been on the island then loaded their bags and themselves into the helicopter, which in no time took off heading back to Manapouri.
The dozen of us remaining entered the hut to do another biosecurity check of the newly-arrived bags and boxes, and restock the pantry, fridge, freezer and cold store for the coming week.
Life at Anchor Hut
Upon arrival, I instantly became a part of the close-knit team that was now on the island, and included DOC rangers, Auckland Zoo staff, and even (for one night) Ange and dog Almo from DOC’s Conservation Dogs Programme. The hut is quite spacious and includes a common room, kitchen, pantry, office, bathroom with a hot shower, labs, bunk rooms, and large covered deck/entry way for gear, tools and even a chest freezer, washer and dryer. There are a few other smaller buildings nearby for more bunks, lab space, wood and food storage, etc. The toilet is a separate long drop nearby.
The hut has solar panels, running water, wi-fi, electricity, a good supply of books and games, and a projector for movie nights. The heart of Anchor Hut is the common area, where everyone eats, works on their laptops, holds meetings, and socialises. The days and nights took on a familiar rhythm which revolved around the mostly nocturnal activity of the kākāpō and the kākāpō rangers.
Cooking for the team
After getting settled in to the bunk room which was to be my home for the next two weeks, I had no time to lose – it was already mid-afternoon and I had dinner to cook! I took some time to familiarise myself with what was available in the outdoor cold store, the pantry, the kitchen, the freezer and the fridge. Depending on the day, I would be cooking dinner for 8-12 people and catering for several dietary requirements including gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and onion/garlic free diets.
From that very first dinner, I activated my middle-aged mum multitasking superpowers to produce solid meals in abundant quantities for the hungry Kākāpō Recovery team. I used and modified some tried and true family-approved dishes, and also expanded my repertoire with some new recipes from the internet, especially for gluten- and dairy-free baking.
It was both a fun and difficult puzzle to work out each day what to cook (and how much), but I’m proud of myself for rising to the challenge, and the team seemed genuinely grateful for my culinary contributions. They especially liked the chicken pot pies and the Chilean empanadas, and as well as the sweet baked goods I made most mornings for them to snack on during the day.
The natural beauty of Pukenui
Once I got into the swing of things, I had more free time during which I could explore the island. And what an island it is! Pukenui is incredibly alive, blanketed with podocarp-beech forest, and the understory is full of ferns, shrubs, fungi, orchids and mosses. There is a network of tracks used by the kākāpō rangers and other DOC staff to visit nests, check the hundreds of traps, and perform research, and although muddy at times, they provided access to a biodiversity wonderland.
The island is literally buzzing with energy and pulsing with life of all kinds, which was an absolute joy and privilege to be able to explore each day I was there. The island has a hilly topography – the highest point is 417 m above sea level – as well as lakes, streams, wetlands, and open tussock lands which meant there was a fascinating variation of habitats to check out.
Here’s a short video taken from the western side of the island, showing the highest peak and surrounding islands:
You can really appreciate the natural beauty and bird song of Pukenui in this video:
You can see more of my Anchor Island images on Wikimedia Commons.
Did somebody say kākāpō?
The island is teeming with endemic birds, including tieke South Island saddleback, mohua yellowhead, kākāriki parakeet, korimako bellbird, kakaruai South Island robin, ruru morepork, kiwi, penguins, and of course, kākāpō! The hard work of many people to make Pukenui predator free and keep it that way is clearly visible and audible on the island.
During the daytime, there were many visible signs of kākāpō everywhere on the island, from poos to “chews”, feathers and bowls. The rimu and beech trees were masting and literally dripping with fruit for the kākāpō and other birds to eat and feed to their young.
But it was when I got invited to visit some of the 39 kākāpō nests with the rangers on their nightly rounds that I was able to see both chicks and – on two occasions – adult female kākāpō! Some of the chicks were still quite small and fluffy in late March, whereas others that were older already had some of their beautiful green or olive adult plumage.
I was thrilled to be able to help transfer some chicks between nests (in buckets!) one rainy evening. And meeting the feisty, dedicated kākāpō mum, Evohe, with ranger Maddy was a very special and emotional moment that is now permanently etched in my heart.
Favourite finds on iNaturalist
In addition to kākāpō, many other organisms were thriving on Pukenui. You can see all 738 of my iNaturalist observations from my walks around the island, which include many plants, fungi, birds and other organisms.
These walks were a great opportunity for professional development for me – a botanist who normally spends most of my time in the field in high-elevation areas – to really focus on the forest flora, fauna and funga.
One of the striking features of the island flora is that there are very few weeds, and those are mostly only near the hut and helipad. Using a plant list curated by ex DOC botanist Brian Rance, I was able to find about 110 of the approximately 180 vascular plants known to be on Pukenui, including making some additions such as Blechnum montanum, Empodisma minus, Oreobolus impar, and Carex uncinata.
Some of my favourite finds are in the photo collage below.
Final thoughts
It was a special privilege to volunteer for the Kākāpō Recovery team on Pukenui, and the experience filled my cup in so many ways. I was inspired by the dedication, passion, and motivation of everyone on the team, and how well they all worked together on the shared goal of protecting the critically endangered kākāpō and making this breeding season such an incredible success.
If you want to know more details about the current kākāpō breeding season, I highly recommend following Kākāpō Recovery on Facebook and Instagram, and tuning in to Alison Ballance’s Kākāpō Files II podcast.
I’ll finish this blog with two of my favourite places on Pukenui.
First, the 360-degree view from the highest point on the island:
And finally, the tussock lands, aptly named Serenity, where I found peace and joy in abundance during my hours botanising there.
Acknowledgments
I am deeply grateful to the Department of Conservation and the Kākāpō Recovery team for giving me the opportunity to volunteer on Pukenui, and for all the incredible and diligent work they do. I would like to especially thank Almo, Ange, Daryl, Deidre, Digs, Doddy, Hannah, Jas, Jake, Jess, Joanne, Leigh, Lydia, Maddy, Petrus, Polina, Sarah and Tommy for generously sharing their commitment, passion, knowledge and time with me, and Louise and Andie for facilitating my stay and this blog. I also thank Te Papa for supporting my participation, 88 community scientists for iNaturalist identifications, especially David Lyttle, and Jerry Cooper, Barbara Parris and Matt Ward for additional iNaturalist discussions.
All photos and videos by Heidi Meudt.
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