Pukekura Ecology and Educational Programmes (PEEPs)

About The Pukekura Trust and our Ecology and Educational Programmes

The Pukekura Trust acts as kaitiaki (guardians) of a highly cultural and wildlife significant reserve on the Otago Peninsula. This Takiharuru reserve holds the largest kororā (blue penguin) colony on the Otago Peninsula and its significant human history dates back to the 14th Century.

For Manawhenua (people of the land), Takiharuru is a sacred and special place (wāhi tapu, wāhi tāoka). Chief Karetai, local paramount chief and signatory to the Treaty of Waitangi, lived out his final years on the headland overlooking the beach. The descendants of Karetai maintain a strong whakapapa link to this whenua (land).

The Pukekura Trust, a charitable trust, comprises of descendants of Karetai (Korako Karetai Trust) and the Otago Peninsula Trust. These two Trusts formed the Pukekura Trust in 2010 to protect, conserve and enhance the flora and fauna and enhance the cultural and ecological knowledge to visitors to the area.  Since the Trust's formation in 2010, the kororā colony at Takiharuru (Pilots Beach) has substantially grown and is thriving. This is attributed to our conservation mahi (work), which includes monitoring and protection of kororā; controlling mammalian predators; removing exotic pest plant species; maintaining the integrity of the reserve; providing education to the public about kororā and other wildlife, and expanding the knowledge base of the cultural history.

As part of our education experiences, we established the Pukekura Ecology and Educational Programmes to help uplift aspiring young scientists. Our aim is to educate, inspire, and empower so that they may decide in their future a career that involve kaitiaki elements and to give them hands-on experiences in ecology or education.

We run regular events where we invite applicants to join our staff for some hands-on experiences within Takiharuru. This may include penguin or other wildlife monitoring, reserve restoration work or education programmes.

 Below is the official Application form that applicants are required to submit to the email address provided.

We typically receive a large number of applications and unfortunately have limited capacity. We will be in touch if you are the successful applicant.

Programmes are generally for 3-4 hours in duration and most occur during the daytime.