Displays
Rangatira Shelter, Kapiti Island
Kapiti Island is one of New Zealand's premiere island wildlife sanctuaries. Visitation to the island is by permit and all gear taken onto the island is carefully checked by boat staff and island rangers. Rangatira Shelter is a key landing point, where rangers give a briefing and introduce visitors to the island and its plant and birdlife.
The challenge was to design a display which was visually appealing, accurate that staff could use as a reference during the briefing. The panel gives visitors an idea of the species they might see during their stay.
Local DOC Kapiti Area staff supplied plant photos and permission was given to use superb bird illustrations by
Dave Gunson taken from the excellent bird book
Know Your Native Birds by Andrew Crowe.
The display was printed in two sections (three metres and four metres), then mounted onto aluminium and plastic core panels to be transported to the island.
Tark Communications recently completed displays for the North End of Kapiti Island. Displays have been designed and installed for Boundary Stream Mainland Island, Hawkes Bay and Shields Flat, Kapiti Coast
The seven metre display in place at Rangatira Shelter, Kapiti Island
Kapiti Island, one of New Zealand's premiere island Wildlife Sanctuaries has had a chequered history. The island was settled by Maori, used as a whaling base in the 1800s, farmed, much of the forest cleared or burned and a host of introduced animals released over the years.
Detail from part of forest bird section of panel
Determined efforts have seen all predators removed and the reintroduction of native flora and fauna. Some species are being bred on the island with the hope they can be released back into parts of New Zealand from where they have long since disappeared.