Hugo backs conservation with new support for Southern Lakes Sanctuary
Date: 15th October 2026
A new BYD Shark ute is set to become a familiar sight across the Southern Lakes, helping Southern Lakes Sanctuary teams reach remote conservation sites, protect native wildlife and support the recovery of threatened species.
The vehicle was made possible by a $30,000 contribution from the Hugo Charitable Trust, building on its previous support for the Bob’s Cove Sanctuary Project in 2024.
The new vehicle will play a vital role in SLS’s day-to-day conservation work, enabling field teams to safely access remote and rugged sites, undertake predator control, monitor wildlife, transport equipment and deliver the practical work that underpins biodiversity recovery across the region.
“Hugo is delighted to continue supporting Southern Lakes Sanctuary and the important work its team is doing across the region,” says Aoibheann Monaghan, CEO and Trustee of Hugo. “We’re particularly pleased that our support is helping provide the practical resources needed to get conservation work done in the field. The Southern Lakes is an extraordinary place, and protecting its biodiversity requires long-term commitment, collaboration and people who are prepared to get out there and do the work.”
Supporting takahē recovery in the Rees Valley
The vehicle will be particularly valuable to SLS’s Rees Valley operations, where teams are undertaking extensive predator control and monitoring to protect native wildlife and support the successful reintroduction of takahē.
Since the first takahē were released into the Rees Valley in February 2025, the project has grown into one of the country’s most significant wild takahē restoration initiatives, with 86 birds now released into the valley. SLS’s field teams maintain the predator-control network and monitor the ecosystem that supports these remarkable birds.
“Our teams are regularly travelling into difficult country to service traps, monitor wildlife, move equipment and respond to what is happening on the ground,” says Paul Kavanagh, CEO of Southern Lakes Sanctuary. “This support gives us the capacity to keep doing that work safely and effectively, particularly in the Rees Valley where we’re working to give takahē the best possible chance of establishing a secure wild population.”
And the new ute has a conservation story of its own. Emblazoned with a striking takahē graphic, it will help raise awareness of SLS’s work wherever it goes.
SLS is also grateful to Central Otago Motor Group (COMG) for its generous support, including a donation, significant purchase concession and other assistance that helped make this important investment in SLS’s field operations possible.
Turning support into practical action
Hugo’s support for the Bob’s Cove Sanctuary Project helped contribute to the restoration and protection of one of the Whakatipu Basin’s most iconic and highly visited natural areas, creating opportunities for thousands of locals and visitors to experience conservation in action.
The new vehicle takes that partnership into the field, helping SLS extend its conservation impact across the wider Southern Lakes landscape.
For Hugo, the partnership reflects a commitment to supporting projects that deliver meaningful environmental outcomes while strengthening the connection between people and the places they value.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Hugo for continuing to back Southern Lakes Sanctuary,” says Kavanagh. “Their support is helping us turn conservation ambition into practical action across some of the most important landscapes in the Southern Lakes.”
The BYD Shark will now help SLS teams continue the work of protecting native species, controlling introduced predators and restoring biodiversity for future generations.
Posted in: Home Page, News and stories