Tiritiri Matangi guest guide: Manannan O’Connell

The guides on Tiritiri Matangi come from all walks of life, all stages of life and share invaluable knowledge with visitors to the Island. Dawn Chorus thought you should meet some of these dedicated volunteers, starting with one of the youngest, by asking a series of questions about their lives.

Seventeen-year-old Manannan O'Connell is a first-year student, studying zoology with a minor in ecology at the University of Otago in Dunedin.

Manannan (whose name means the Irish god of the sea) grew up in the Waitakere Ranges and has been guiding for three and a half years, since he was 14.

What are your other hobbies/pastimes?

I enjoy surfing, free diving and tramping.

Why guiding?

I’ve always been passionate about our native flora and fauna that we are blessed to have in New Zealand/ Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu and I’ve found that guiding, and being around other guides, has allowed me to improve my knowledge, as well as share my experiences with others, which can be extremely rewarding for both parties.

What has been your favourite experience with guiding?

My favourite experience on Tiritiri Matangi, while not necessarily guiding, was being part of the kiwi pukupuku/ little spotted kiwi survey in 2022.

What is your favourite bird on the Island? Why?

My favourite bird is the ruru/morepork because of their role as a watchful guardian in Māori mythology and the connection to the spirit world. I’ve also spent time caring for them when I worked at BirdCare Aotearoa.

What is your favourite plant/tree? Why?

My favourite trees are the members of the tawhai/beech tree family because of the environment that they create and their significant impact on the life cycle of many other species.

What is your greatest environmental concern?

My greatest concern is the onslaught of introduced mammalian predators that our native flora and fauna are currently subject to.