Flora & Fauna
Flora
Tamahunga was originally cloaked in lowland podocarp – broadleaved- kauri forest. Species such as rimu, northern rata, kauri and rewarewa were dominant. People have changed the composition of the forest with burning and selective logging.
Today most of the forest is “modified” old growth forest. It is considered “modified” because almost all of the older kauri and rimu were selectively logged. Old growth forests tend to have more large trees and standing dead trees, multi-layered canopies with gaps resulting from the deaths of individual trees, and coarse woody debris on the forest floor.
If you look carefully, you will see many different species of plants, ferns and fungi as you follow the track. As you look to the sides of the track, a common sight is the tangled stems of supplejack (Ripogonum scandrens), so named by pioneers because of its tough and springy nature. It makes travel through the bush difficult and frustrating.
Dendrobium, perching orchid. Photo: N. Wilson.
Libertia flaccidifolia
This iris is endemic to Tamahunga.
Pittosporum kirkii
Kirks Pitosporum
Corybas cheesmanii
Helmet orchid.
Hygrophoacae
Woodwax
Poroporo
Solarnum laciniatum
Houhere
Lacebark
Kanono
Coprosma autumnalis
Toropapa
Alseuosmia macrophylla
Ngaokeoke (Peripatus or velvet worm). Photo: P. Caiger.
Fauna
Birds are more easily heard than seen, so listen for fantail/pīwakawaka, tomtit/miromiro, tui, the tiny grey warbler/riroriro, kererū and kākā.
Tamahunga forms part of a corridor of forest pockets and protected bush linking to Tāwharanui, allowing dispersal of birds from Tāwharanui. There are increasing numbers of Kereru and Kaka,recently Bellbirds/ korimako and Karkariki/ Red crowned Parakeet, are again taking up residence in the forest, and with predator control, we hope will start to breed successfully.
Long tailed bats/pekapeka-tou-roa roost in the tall trees and the tiny Hochstetter's frog/pepeketua lives under cobbles and in rock cracks in streams, an indication of healthy stream life.
As well as many wonderful and interesting insects.
Birds of Tamahunga
This video shows a selection of various bird found in the forest of Tamahunga. These bird videos have been captured on the trail cameras that are in the forest as part of the Tamahunga Trappers predator control program.
The video shows both native and introduced bird species. It is very exciting to see some of the native birds. When trapping was started on Tamahunga back in 2010 there were no kākā or kākāriki seen in the forest, and now we are regularly seeing them.
Miromiro
Tomtit
Kererū
Wood Pigeon
Orb Web Spider
Araneidae
Pīwakawaka
Fantail
Wētā
Cave weta
Water Spider
Dolomedes dondalei
Kākā
Parrot
Tui
Parson bird