Even in his spare time Forest & Bird Te Hoiere Bat Recovery Project field crew member Oren Cranna-Powell enjoys getting up close with New Zealand native species.
“I just enjoy getting out into the native forests. I especially enjoy our native reptiles and spend my days off photographing gecko species from the Nelson Lakes to the mountains in Kahurangi,” Oren said.
Originally from north Auckland, he moved to Nelson a couple of years ago first working as a zookeeper and then for Nelson-based Kūmānu Environmental, a small section within Nelmac focussed on pest animal/plant biosecurity. Oren joined Forest & Bird in May and will be with the Te Hoiere Bat Recovery field team until his contract finishes at the end of the year.
“I really enjoy conservation fieldwork. Working in this role I get to do my part in saving our natural areas and to look back and see the progress we make over the months of mahi by the team,” Oren said.
Next year he plans to head to Dunedin to study ecology and herpetology so he can further his passion for conservation. Thanks Oren!
