Orokonui Ecosanctuary’s predator fence is vulnerable in three high-risk areas and so, too, are the protected species inside, Otago Natural History Trust chairman Colin Campbell-Hunt says.
Prof Campbell-Hunt said that after 10 years the ecosanctuary could now pay its own way as far as more than $1million in operating expenses went, but it needed help with upcoming capital expenses.
Preliminary estimates for fixing the fence were earmarked at $336,000 — and at yesterday’s Dunedin City Council annual plan hearings he asked Dunedin city councillors for 10% of that to show local government support to get the ball rolling for additional external funding for the ‘‘shovel-ready’’ project.
He told councillors Orokonui general manager Amanda Symons had a plan for the ecosanctuary under Alert Level 2.
And ecosanctuary management expected somewhere between 30% to 50% of normal visitor numbers from when it reopened to the end of the year and 50% to 70% next year.
