Dunedin · Online course

Wildlife Conservation & Management in Dunedin

Our Wildlife Conservation and Management course will teach you conservation techniques and sustainable wildlife management practises.

Full course details

Wildlife Conservation & Management in Dunedin

What you'll learn

The course is the same online course wherever you study from. Its modules:

1. Module 1 – Wildlife Conservation
2. Module 2 – Wildlife Management

See the full Wildlife Conservation & Management course outline

Studying wildlife conservation in Dunedin

Dunedin has several long-running conservation projects to learn from. Orokonui Ecosanctuary near Waitati is a mainland island: 307 hectares of coastal Otago forest behind a 1.9-metre fence designed to stop climbing and burrowing predators, where native species have been reintroduced. Volunteers there put in around 13,000 hours a year.

On the Otago Peninsula, the Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group and Predator Free Dunedin led about 15 years of work that ended with the peninsula being declared possum-free in early March 2026. The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust, based in Dunedin, protects hoiho nesting reserves and reforests coastline for one of the world's rarest penguins.

Pukekura/Taiaroa Head shows a different model: a reserve managed by Te Poari a Pukekura, a joint trust of iwi, council and DOC representatives, with public access to the albatross colony through the Royal Albatross Centre.

Wildlife Conservation & Management in Dunedin: questions

Is the Otago Peninsula predator-free?

The peninsula was declared possum-free in early March 2026 after about 15 years of work led by the Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group and Predator Free Dunedin. DOC notes that conservation and predator-free groups always need volunteers.

How is Orokonui Ecosanctuary protected?

A 1.9-metre predator-proof fence, designed to keep out climbing and burrowing animals, surrounds 307 hectares of coastal Otago forest. Species such as kākā, takahē and kiwi have been reintroduced.

What our students say

Easy to understand and great support

I have been conducting a 12 week course, the information provided has been easy to understand and extremely informative. If at any point i have run into difficulties, my tutor has been there to give assistance and advise me the best way to progress forward.

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