Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Today, we profile Kahurangi Cronin, Butterfly Ranger in Nelson.
At work…
On a South Island road trip
Some things I do in my job include:
I inspect individual gardens for host plants of the great white butterfly to look for eggs, pupae and caterpillars in Nelson area. When the temperature is right we also go butterfly hunting.
This helps achieve DOC’s vision by:
By protecting our native endangered cresses. For example, there only 37 known chalk cress plants left growing in the lime stone bluffs of the Chalk Range, South Marlborough — 90 kilometres from the butterfly infestation.
The funniest DOC moment I’ve had so far is:
When our Team Leader insisted on blasting Christmas carols when driving around to the area we were searching, much to the rest of the team’s dismay.
Great white butterfly
The best bit about my job is:
Jumping fences and fighting dogs!
The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is:
It would have to be my fellow Butterfly Rangers — Julie Murphy, Jaine Cronin and Ru Davies who always manage to keep things fun yet motivating.
Talking to the public about the Great White Butterfly Eradication
On a personal note…
The song that always cheers me up is:
Anything by Queens of the Stone Age.
My happy place is:
A pillow fort.
If I could trade places with any other person for a week—famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional—it would be:
Johnny Depp because he is a pirate.
My best ever holiday was:
Travelling most of the South Island in a short period with my partner.
If I could be any New Zealand native species I’d be:
I’d be a native praying mantis.
On the way to Wainui Hut, Abel Tasman National Park
Deep and meaningful…
My favourite quote is:
“It’s not how hard you fall, it’s what you do when you get up.”
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is:
Be kind to unkind people — they probably need it the most.
In work and life I am motivated by:
Myself. I like to complete what I start.
My conservation advice to New Zealanders is:
What you take in, you should take out — be a tidy kiwi.
Thanking the public for their support at the Nelson Masked Parade
