'Bug man' wowed by Wingspan trip

BIRD MAN: Dr Ruud Kleinpaste says the Rotorua Museum's On The Wing exhibition will get kids interested in conservation. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

Wingspan patron and TV "bug man" Dr Ruud Kleinpaste visited the Rotorua Museum to learn more about the On The Wing project and exhibition yesterday.

The conservation project sees rare New Zealand falcons, or karearea, released into the Government Gardens where they are fed and monitored by Wingspan.

Visitors to Rotorua's Government Gardens have the opportunity to see the young falcons up close as they learn to fend for themselves.

Dr Kleinpaste, who is based in Christchurch, had a lot of praise for the project.

"This is about hands-on stuff. It's about community involvement. This is modern technology doing exactly what modern technology should be doing.

"I also love birds and a friend of mine said I must go to Wingspan, so when I did go to Wingspan I lost my rag, I burst into tears; it was just beautiful.

"I really realised the 'bug man' is also the bird man. Falcons and moreporks are really cool."

He said the project would go a long way towards inspiring conservation efforts.

"We have lost a whole generation of kids who haven't been outside, so how can you expect them to get back conservation? They don't know how to grow a vegetable in the garden.

"They grow up in the city and they spend all their days in classrooms. We have lost kids through that absence of creativity and outdoor education.

"There are groups of kids who have had no contact with nature, have no appreciation of nature, but this is not David Attenborough, it's live."

Wingspan director Debbie Stewart said it was great to have Dr Kleinpaste involved. "Here he is exciting people about conservation and education."