Learning about whio

Alison Beath —  25/09/2009

Conservation Week at Ruapehu started with a “Get Involved with Whio” Open Day at the Ohakune Field Centre. What a great time we all had- there was face painting (I never knew Ranger Mel had this hidden talent!), and flax weaving, whio talks, Orautoha School were selling strawberries and daffodils, and whio rangers Bubs and Dean helped kids (and some big kids too!) make stoat trap boxes.

Talking whio with kids at Conservation Week

Talking whio with kids at Conservation Week


These trap boxes will add to the 600 or so we now have out on the river protecting whio in Tongariro Forest. We got 75 ducklings last season- triple the number we used to get before we started predator control! Looking forward to another whio breeding season, we’re expecting our first ducklings in late October. Bring them on! Hope all the other whio workers around the country have an awesome season, fingers crossed for no big floods aye.
One of our 36 pairs of whio protected by the trapping

One of our 36 pairs of whio protected by the trapping

Alison Beath

Posts

Hi, I work at DOC’s Ruapehu Area Office, as a blue duck and kiwi ranger. I work with these fabulous birds in Tongariro Forest, which is about half an hour from the office at Whakapapa Village. I’ve been working here for just over 4 years now. I live in the small ski town of Ohakune, so spend my spare time skiing or looking after my animal menagerie at home!

One response to Learning about whio

  1. 
    rose-michelle leathem 12/10/2009 at 5:38 pm

    it’s great to see people learning about our natives. pity i didn’t know about it or i probably would’ve gone along.