Native animals |

Southern Kaipara kiwi are back

Department of Conservation — 27/08/2013

By Gina Williams, Kiwi Ranger, Whangarei.

Kiwi are back in Kaipara after a 50 year absence, and are ready to make their mark on the Mataia Restoration Project.

Pōwhiri at the homestead to welcome the new arrivals

Kevin and Gill Adshead

In 2005, Gill and Kevin Adshead set aside 400 hectares of their 1300 hectare farm in the south Kaipara Harbour area, north of Auckland, for ecological restoration purposes—the Mataia Restoration Project.

Planting, controlling pests, and fencing, were just some of the tasks volunteers helped the couple with, to get the land ready for the kiwi.

A vibrant Kaipara community, local iwi, schools, neighbours, Kiwis for Kiwi, the Department of Conservation, and local councils all showed up to help release the kiwi into their new home.

Gill explains that the goodwill of so many people will make the next phase—to increase the pest and predator controlled area into neighbouring properties—much easier; and with roaming dogs the number one threat to the project, community support is key.

Gill and Kevin say the reaction to the birds and the participation of schools and local iwi was wonderful.

Ella Hood and kiwi at the Mataia release.

Ella Hood with a kiwi at the Mataia release

With radio transmitters attached to their legs the kiwi can be monitored. The restoration area is easy terrain to work with and half the birds signals can be detected from the deck of the farm house.

Ultimately the couple plan to release a total of 40 birds at Mataia over the next few years.

Pete Graham changes the transmitter on a bird under the watchful eye of a child.

Pete Graham changes the transmitter on a bird under a watchful eye

Visit the Nature Space website to read diary updates on the kiwi, access the latest newsletters and track the travels of the kiwi.

In Auckland, Kiwi, Native animals, Volunteers kaipara, kiwi, kiwi release, Kiwis for kiwi, Mataia, Mataia Restoration Project

Join me on the Wildside

Elizabeth Marenzi — 12/08/2013

Today, I’m inviting you somewhere special. Not many people know about this place yet – you’re one of the first. The place is called Wildside and it’s a new social media community run by the Department of Conservation (DOC) on Facebook and Twitter.

With the tagline Aotearoa New Zealand. Live it. Love it. Look after it. Together. Wildside promises inspiring stories, images, videos and conversations about:

Living on the wildside – tramping, camping, biking, hunting…

Loving the wildside – our places, plants, animals, people…

Looking after the wildside – protecting, restoring… doing our bit.

And, importantly, Wildside is about doing it together.

We didn’t want another place on the web about ‘DOC the government department’. Wildside is for, and about, everyone.

Here at DOC we’re working towards making New Zealand the greatest living space on Earth – but this vision isn’t just ours, and we can’t do it alone. We want you to join the journey – and Wildside will be a great place to start. Will you join us?

In Animal pests, Conservation Week 2013, Historic, Islands, Marine, National parks, Native animals, Native plants, Recreation, Sustainability, Volunteers, Weeds, Wetlands facebook, social media, twitter, wildside

Meeting Sirocco the kākāpō

Kurt Sharpe — 08/08/2013

There are only 124 kākāpō left in the world and I have been waiting to see one up close and personal ever since I started working at DOC. I have seen the fans going crazy for kākāpō online, even voting them as the ‘World’s Favourite Species’ in a recent poll. They are a native New Zealand bird that I just had to meet.

I was glad to find out that Sirocco the kākāpō would be visiting Zealandia sanctuary in July. Sirocco has been touring New Zealand for a few years now and this was my chance to get close to one of the few remaining kākāpō left.

To say I was ‘excited’ is probably an understatement. When Zealandia announced the visit I got on their website immediately and booked my ticket for opening night. The anticipation only grew throughout June as Sirocco’s face popped up all over town and in the local newspapers and television.

A sign for Sirocco's Zealandia visit at the Wellington Railway Station. Photo by Elizabeth Marenzi.

Sirocco, world famous in Wellington

The night finally arrived. It was a cool but calm one, and luckily the earthquakes from the previous couple of days had quietened down. The night tour started with a screening of part of Alison Balance’s documentary ‘To Save the Kākāpō’ where we were introduced to Sirocco and the respiratory illness that almost took his life. Sirocco developed this condition while very young and was hand-raised, which has led him to imprint on humans. This makes him very comfortable around people (some might say too comfortable).

After the film the Zealandia guide took us into the sanctuary, making sure we checked all our bags and pockets for any stowaway pests that might harm the creatures that call Zealandia home. My bag was predator free (if a little messy) so we headed out into the night and up the track to see Sirocco.

The track along the way was beautifully lit up with fairy lights. While we walked I chatted with some of the other visitors in the group. I was surprised to find people had come from all over New Zealand, as well as the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan.

Fairy lights up the path to Sirocco's enclosure. Photo by Jo Moore.

Lights lead the way to Sirocco

Sirocco spends his days at Zealandia in a specially fenced off section of forest and at night he comes out into a display area. When we finally arrived at Sirocco’s display area he was already hopping around at the glass peering through to suss out his newest visitors. There was a group of children who he immediately ran to. Sirocco loves children and, at 16 years old, he is not much more than a child himself.

Over the next 30 minutes the DOC ranger told us all about the lifestyle of the kākāpō and about the efforts being undertaken to bring them back from the brink of extinction. Everyone managed to get a good view of Sirocco as he wandered the enclosure.

Sirocco in his viewing enclosure at Zealandia Sanctuary. Photo: Janice McKenna.

Sirocco meets his fans

On the way back down the track we were treated to some high pitched kiwi calls that resonated around the sanctuary. Seeing a kākāpō and hearing kiwi calls all in the same night was a great experience, something I hope becomes more commonplace throughout New Zealand.

If you are in Wellington in the next few weeks I would recommend you head along and cross this unique experience off your bucket list.

Sirocco on display at Zealandia Sanctuary. Photo: Janice McKenna.

Sirocco smiling for the camera

Sirocco at Zealandia:

Memories to last a lifetime – the night you met a kākāpō! Don’t miss this rare chance to meet Sirocco the kākāpō at Zealandia – just 10 minutes from Wellington city. Book your date now on the Zealandia website.

In Sirocco the kakapo Experience, kākāpō, sirocco, Wellington, Zealandia

Stress free takahē catching

Department of Conservation — 06/08/2013

By Phil Marsh, Takahe Site Liaison and Relationship Manager

Takahē may look like ‘big blue chooks’, but try catching one and you will discover they are much faster and can out manoeuvre the most skilled bird wrangler.

A takahē watching the proceedings with interest

Enter Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue and some keen volunteers, a special island and an opportunity to help this iconic and critically endangered bird.

Takahē are critically endangered, and there are only 54 breeding pairs of takahē held at safe sites—mostly predator-free islands. Mana Island is one of these, and Jeff Hall is the ranger with 10 pairs of takahē in his care.

To keep the takahē population genetically healthy, birds must regularly be shifted between breeding sites, and therein lies the challenge.

Mana Island’s re-vegetation programme is looking good, but it’s making it more difficult to corner the wily birds. In 2011 things came to a head when visiting takahē rangers failed to catch all of the birds required. A new strategy was needed and a plan was hatched. The result—a 10 metre by 10 metre capture pen filled with something that most takahē can’t resist… takahē pellets!

The takahē volunteer team on Mana Island.

The volunteer team of Kim, Michelle and David, and takahē capture pen

Building the pens needed materials and labour, which is where Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue came in. Mitre 10 have partnered with the Takahē Recovery Programme for over seven years now. As well as providing financial support and helping to raise the profile of takahē, Mitre 10 staff also enjoy hands-on involvement with takahē conservation projects.

Bright’s Mitre 10 in Mana supplied all the materials required for four new capture pens. Mitre 10 MEGA staff, Kim Olsen from Masterton and Michelle Ledbury from Kapiti, joined DOC Ranger Jeff Hall and volunteer David Marsh—a farmer from Wairarapa—to lend a helping hand.

Three takahē looking for grubs. Photograph by Stuart McCaw.

A trio of takahē

The pen building team spent three days putting in the posts and netting needed to get the pens up and running. The pens are built with a front gate that is open for most of the year. The birds get used to walking into it and feeding from their hopper without feeling threatened. When it’s time for a takahē health check, a change of transmitter, or to band chicks, the front gate of the capture pen is closed. Once they’re in the pen they usually can’t jump high enough to get back out. The huge advantage is that the birds catch themselves in the pen and any management necessary can then be completed with minimal stress on the birds (and the rangers) involved.

And the Mitre 10 staff and volunteers? Well, they all know what it’s like to be marooned, as the day they were due to head off the island the sea was too rough for them to depart. Two days later they finally got off, but not without anticipating a return journey some time in the future to check out how well their pens are operating!

A takahē with transmitter

Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue

The Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue works in partnership with DOC’s Takahē Recovery Programme and is committed to ensuring the survival, growth and security of takahē populations throughout New Zealand. Find out more about this partnership on the DOC website.

In Native animals Breeding, Mana Island, Recovery Programme, Rescue, takahe

Photo of the week: New Zealand sea lion female and pup

Department of Conservation — 31/07/2013

This week’s photo shows a New Zealand sea lion/rāpoka/whakahao and her pup. It was taken by wildlife photographer, naturalist/writer and conservationist, Tui De Roy.

At the moment DOC is asking for help following the shooting of a New Zealand sea lion on Stewart Island/Rakiura in mid June. If you have any information about this please contact the police or 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).

New Zealand sea lions are critically endangered. They are only found in New Zealand. There are only around 10,000 of them left and their numbers are declining.

Learn more

Media release on the DOC website: Critically endangered sea lion shot

Tui De Roy’s The Roving Tortoise website (currently being revamped)

In Native animals, Photo of the week, Southland New Zealand sea lion, Tui De Roy

Archives For 30/11/1999

Southern Kaipara kiwi are back