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Archives For 30/11/1999

Photo of the week: Tokoeka kiwi

Department of Conservation —  16/10/2013

Today’s photo, of a Stewart Island tokoeka kiwi, celebrates Save Kiwi Week (14 – 20 October).

Tokoeka kiwi on Stewart Island.

Tokoeka – literally meaning “weka with a walking stick” (Ngai Tahu) has four geographically and genetically distinct forms—Haast, northern Fiordland, southern Fiordland and Stewart Island.

The Stewart Island tokoeka are unusual among kiwi for being active during the daytime, as you can see in this photo taken by Alina Thiebes.

Stewart Island/Rakiura is probably the easiest place to observe kiwi in the wild, where some 20,000 still survive.

You can find out more about Save Kiwi Week and how you can help to protect kiwi on the Kiwis for kiwi website.

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Save Kiwi Week

Department of Conservation —  14/10/2013

Today kicks off the inaugural Save Kiwi Week, a week to raise both awareness and funds to protect our iconic national bird.

A young rowi kiwi amongst the bush. Photo: Ian Gill.

Okarito South Island brown kiwi (rowi)

You might think that we are doing a pretty good job protecting our national bird. But in reality, 2% of our kiwi population disappears every year. At this rate, we risk kiwi disappearing from the mainland in our lifetime!

Save Kiwi Week runs from 14th-20th of October and is organised by Kiwis for kiwi which is an independent charity that works in partnership with DOC to help fund kiwi conservation work around New Zealand. Their aim for Save Kiwi Week is to raise $100,000 to protect 1,000 kiwis in the wild in October.

lets-keep-kiwi-alive

Help save kiwi this October 14-20th

There are lots of community activities planned across New Zealand this week, as well as great TradeMe auctions for ‘once in a lifetime’ kiwi experiences and a chance to release a kiwi into the wild with Sir Graham Henry.

Anyone can get involved – including individuals, schools and businesses – and there are fun easy-to-use toolkits filled with activities and fundraising ideas on the Kiwis for kiwi website.

Get involved in the inaugural Save Kiwi Week and together we can help keep our iconic kiwi alive.

Watch a video about communities protecting kiwi:

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Petrel cuteness at Punakaiki

Department of Conservation —  07/10/2013

By Lisa Hamker, Visitor Centre Ranger at Paparoa National Park.

This fluffy thing, with the big, black and beautiful puppy dog eyes, is a one month old Westland black petrel chick in its burrow just south of Punakaiki.

Westland black petrel chick in a burrow.

Petrel chick cuteness. Photo: Bruce Stuart-Menteath | Paparoa Nature Tours

The chick’s parents still come in for feeding time in the evenings by doing an “elegant” crash landing in the canopy. They then drop to the ground, looking slightly disorientated for a few minutes, before regaining composure and waddling off to their burrow to have a noisy and somewhat reproachful chat with their partner. A bit like: “Did you actually forget to bring the Hoki? Do I now have to fly ALL THE WAY back to Hokitika to get one!”

Adult Westland black petrel in flight. Photo: Arthur Chapman | flickr (cc)

Adult black petrel out at sea. Photo: Arthur Chapman

In the morning mum and/or dad petrel will have to jump off the cliff to get airborne as their legs are too short to get them going on even ground. And off to another day at sea. Isn’t it amazing what these guys take on to raise their chick?

But let’s be honest – who wouldn’t, looking at a fluffy thing like that?

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Protecting the cheeky shades of green

Department of Conservation —  03/10/2013

There has been some good news for the cheeky kea with Dulux recently announcing they will be contributing $150,000 to the Kea Conservation Trust nest monitoring programme over the next three years as they continue to build upon their partnership with DOC.

A kea in flight displaying colourful feathers. Photo: Mat Goodman.

This photo by Mat Goodman shows the amazing colours found in kea feathers

In addition to that funding, Dulux will also be raising funds through through the sale of specially marked promotional pails of paint, with one dollar being donated to the Kea Conservation Trust with every pail purchase.

Artwork from the Dulux promotional kea paint pails.

Sample artwork for promotional pails. Look out for them at a store near you!

Dulux’s involvement in the Kea Nest Monitoring Programme means the programme can continue, and grow into other areas to improve our knowledge about how well predator control is working and how quickly kea are declining in areas without predator control.

Female kea and chick in their nest. Photo: Corey Mosen.

Female kea and chick in their nest. Photo: Corey Mosen

Dulux began working together with DOC under the Protecting Our Place partnership this year to help protect and preserve huts all around New Zealand. By supporting programmes to protect our wildlife and backcountry shelters, Dulux is helping to ensure that our future generations can experience the unique sights and sounds of New Zealand.

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Canterbury’s kakī boosted

Department of Conservation —  16/09/2013

By DOC’s Kiersten McKinley, based in South Canterbury

Fingers went numb and noses turned bright red as DOC staff caught kakī/black stilts this morning. It was the first fine day after a southerly blast and the birds were off on an adventure!

Nine staff were needed to catch 43 sub-adult kakī from the Captive Breeding Centre aviaries located in Twizel. The birds were being released today into the Tasman Riverbed near Lake Pukaki – but first they had to be caught!

A DOC ranger removes a kakī caught in a net.

A DOC ranger carefully extracts one of the sub-adult kaki from a net

Armed with large soft nets and a slow, purposeful stride each ranger waited patiently for a young bird to rest on the aviary floor. It’s unhurried and cautious work – one fast or sudden move and these fragile birds could end up with a serious injury. Some of the birds managed to get their bills poked through the soft capture nets so another ranger was flagged to assist in the delicate extraction operation. The long, slender bill of a kakī actually has tiny, fine serrations on it which makes it fabulous for getting caught in nets!

Two kakī are held before being transported and released.

Smiles all round – these kaki look to be in good hands!

Once caught each bird underwent a thorough health check and was carefully weighed. A sub-adult bird is nine months of age and the majority of birds weighed around 200 grams – less than half a tub of margarine! What they lack in weight though they more than make up for in spirit. These are feisty birds and they were certainly ready to spread their wings!

DOC Ranger Liz Brown moving a kakī.

DOC Aviaculturist Liz Brown spends a lot of time looking after the kakī

All the kakī were placed into sturdy plywood boxes and then transported to the release site where they were set free by local school children and interested members of the public.

School students releasing kakī into the wild.

The kakī are released into the wild.

Take part in a kakī release:

Two kakī releases are scheduled every year around August or September. If you would like to attend the next one email DOC Ranger Cody Thyne. It’s a wonderful experience and a chance to see these rare birds up close.

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