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Archives For 30/11/1999

Record kakī season thanks to community’s help

Department of Conservation —  02/05/2013

By Kiersten McKinley

Assistance from private land owners helped create a record breeding season for the nationally critical threatened kakī/black stilt this year, but not before giving DOC’s Twizel staff the run around.

A group of juveniles released near Lake Tekapo.

A group of juveniles released near Lake Tekapo

Each year rangers collect kakī eggs from the wild, and up to six captive pairs, for safe incubation at the Captive Breeding Centre in Twizel.

Last spring, when it came time to find nests in the normal riverbed and wetland sites, staff couldn’t find many. Either the population had declined or they had nested elsewhere. Luckily it was the latter: A particular rainy start to the season saw many wet areas and ponds form on private land. These made attractive nesting sites for this threatened wading bird.

“We put the word out that we needed help to locate adult breeding pairs and got a fantastic response. We had one farmer who rang up to say he had found four eggs and he’d wait until we picked them up before moving his sheep into the paddock,” said Biodiversity Ranger Simone Cleland.

Left: Kakī eggs in a farmer’s paddock. Right: Farmers Jim and Maryanne Morris

Left: Kakī eggs in a farmer’s paddock. Right: Farmers Jim and Maryanne Morris

“Another farmer spotted a likely nest from the seat of his tractor. He called up straight away so that we could rescue the eggs and he could carry on working!”

“The farmers I dealt with were very in-tune with their environment and knew exactly what birds they were looking at,” said Biodiversity Ranger Cody Thyne.

“Some people have trouble distinguishing kakī from pied stilts or even oystercatchers,  but these farmers were extremely observant and reliable informants.”

It wasn’t only farmers that responded to DOC’s request for help. Sam Staley, the caretaker stationed at Lake Tekapo Military Camp, rang up on several occasions during the season to report the location of juvenile kakī.

Soon the eggs were rolling in; 172 all up, and that put extra pressure on Aviculturist Liz Brown and her team at the captive rearing centre.

“We managed to successfully incubate and hatch 134 chicks, of which 125 survived to fledge – well up on our previous best of 111,” says Liz.

A collection of kakī egg shells from the busy breeding season.

A collection of kakī egg shells from the busy breeding season

Nearly half of all the wild eggs collected over summer came from eight high country stations in the Mackenzie and Waitaki basins. And, while we’ve always had good ongoing communication with these landowners, the cooperation this season has been excellent and we hope to maintain and develop this relationship in the future.

Left: Cody and Glen carry juvenile kakī for release. Right: Young kaki chick only days old.

Left: Cody and Glen carry juvenile kakī for release. Right: ‘Aren’t I gorgeous?’ a young chick (only days old)

31 of the chicks were released near Tekapo in January, as the capacity of the aviaries to hold birds had been reached. The remainder of the young kakī will be held over winter and released in August this year. If they can survive the first few years then rangers may be collecting their eggs in the future too.

Find out how you can help the black stilt/kakī

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Spreading Galaxiid love in Otago

Department of Conservation —  10/04/2013

Lan Pham is a Freshwater Fish Ranger from DOC’s Coastal Otago Area Office, she writes about an exciting new project to spread the love of New Zealand’s freshwater fish species.

A Lowland longjaw galaxiid swimming in a stream.

A Lowland longjaw galaxiid – classified as critically endangered

For many our native freshwater fish species are most commonly encountered is in a whitebait fritter, but in Otago a new project aims to change the way local communities experience and relate to our unique freshwater species.

The Otago region is a biodiversity ‘hot-spot’ for a fascinating group of galaxiids—native freshwater fish, which unlike their whitebait counterparts, do not migrate to sea. Instead, these non-migratory galaxiids live out their lives in the stream or river where they hatched. Often these few remaining populations have passed under the radar of their human neighbours. However, as freshwater resources are coming under increasing pressure, the need to raise the profile of these galaxiids is of utmost importance, meaning the time for action and getting to know our galaxiids before we lose them for good is now!

Kids watching two DOC rangers electric fishing for galaxiid.

Electric fishing for the infamous Clutha flathead galaxiid in Boundary Creek

‘Growing Otago’s Galaxiid’s’ is an initiative that has sprung out of Otago’s Growth and Engagement Strategy. It’s a fresh start that aims to get local communities, irrigation groups and foresty companies excited and engaged with their local species, and to facilitate what measures/activities/events they want to drive to help conserve their galaxiid species.

The project is in its first month and there has already been some exciting successes. Several schools have signed up to partner with local fish-friendly landowners who are keen to host restoration sites on their properties. We had a fun visit to the Conservation Award-winning Waitahuna School and met their local galaxiids at Boundary creek and are working with Kids Conservation Club and City Forests on an exciting team project involving our nationally endangered Eldon’s galaxiid.

A DOC ranger shows attendees the creatures living in Oamaru Creek.

Discovering what fascinating creatures live in Oamaru creek!

Only time will tell whether we are on to a winning start with spreading galaxiid love throughout Otago. But we will sure be doing our darnedest to try new things, involve communities at every step of the process and let them take the reigns and run with the projects themselves into the future.

Our big vision is that communities will drive their own galaxiid conservation projects, landowners and forestry companies will actively protect galaxiids on their land and local businesses will support their local galaxiids through sponsorship. Our hope is that the galaxiid love we are seeding during this project is something that will continue to grow within communities, far beyond what DOC alone could ever hope to achieve!

A Clutha flathead.

A Clutha flathead

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The Chatham Islands celebrate tāiko

Department of Conservation —  09/04/2013

In February celebrations were held on the Chatham Islands to commemorate 35 years since the rediscovery of the tāiko—a rare seabird breeding only on the remote islands.

An unbanded taiko being held after being discovered on the Chatham Islands.

An unbanded tāiko discovered on the Chatham Islands.

The Chatham Island Tāiko Trust organised a week of activities, with logistical and planning support provided by DOC.

The events commemorated the rediscovery of the tāiko (on 1 January 1978) by David Crockett and his team. Events included an open day in the Tuku Nature Reserve where the majority of known tāiko burrows are found, a Golden Oldies Tāiko Camp visit, and an operation of lights to demonstrate how tāiko are captured, which is the same method used 35 years ago to capture the first known tāiko.

Some of the original team who rediscovered the taiko stant by the Taiko Totem.

Five of the original seven team members who rediscovered the tāiko

The final event was the official celebration which saw more than 150 people make their way over to ‘Tāiko Camp’ on the south west coast of the main Chatham Island for presentations and the unveiling of the Tāiko Totem, an acknowledgement of all the people who have contributed to the tāiko project.

The weather throughout the week was fine and settled, and all the events came together in a fitting tribute. Among the guests of honour recognised with presentations at the celebration was David Crockett and several members of the original team that rediscovered the tāiko.

Attendees of the taiko celebration go through a predator proof fence.

A guided walk through the predator proof fenced area see a Chatham petrel chick

The contributions and support of many local identities and landowners that supported the original team and subsequent protection work was also acknowledged, in particular the contribution of the Tuanui family. Chatham Island Tāiko Trust Chairperson, Liz Tuanui was thrilled with the turnout for the celebrations. She said, “It was a great example of the community working with DOC to achieve a common goal.”

All that attended the celebration were treated with a very rare opportunity to see a tāiko after the unveiling. An unbanded adult was found on the ground the day before the event near Sweetwater, a predator fenced area built by the Chatham Island Tāiko Trust for the protection of tāiko and other seabirds.

David and Ruth Crockett receiving boquets and certificates from the Tāiko Trust.

David and Ruth Crockett receiving boquets and certificates from the Tāiko Trust

Tāiko Trust

For further information see the Chatham Island Tāiko Trust webpage at www.tāiko.org.nz.

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Jobs at DOC: Whiona — Mother duck

Department of Conservation —  05/04/2013

Meet whabulous Mother Duck Whiona, based in the fast flowing water ways of Te Urewera.

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Giant kokopu safari in Wellington

Department of Conservation —  04/04/2013

Brian Sheppard works for DOC at National Office in Wellington. He writes about his recent surprise at finding a giant kokopu living in the stream near his house in urban Wellington: 

When I lived in the UK, I enjoyed the occasional bowl of whitebait but I couldn’t believe my eyes when I moved to New Zealand and found that our whitebait are the size of small matches rather than large pencils. I have eaten them, and even enjoyed them in a guilty way. Why guilty? I am used to eating eggs, whether from chicken or fish, but am more comfortable with the prospect of allowing the offspring to grow a bit before I devour them.

New Zealand whitebait.

Our whitebait are the size of small matches.

Working in DOC, I follow the arguments about managing streams and their margins and, amongst other things, the impacts of riparian management on the breeding cycle of our native galaxiids, which, when harvested as babies, are our whitebait.

My interest took a new turn when I learned that a giant kokopu had set up home in our local stream in Wellington. I grabbed my camera and went on big game safari. When I saw this beautiful beast, which seems to be about 20 cm long, it was me rather than the fish that was hooked.

Giant kokopu discovered in a Wellington stream.

The beautiful beast

On a second visit, in brighter lighting conditions and from a better position, I was able to see it in its full splendour.  It is coloured like the night sly, framed with reddish fins. After some frantic reading, I understand that the name galaxiid refers to its patterning that it reminiscent of a galaxy. I also read that it feeds on small koura and any insects that happen to fall into the stream. When I saw the size of its mouth and its fierce array of teeth, I realise that it must be a monster for unsuspecting invertebrates.

I have no pretence about being a ‘fishologist’ but its swelling belly made me wonder if it is a mum-to-be.  Having shown the photos to others who are more familiar with these things, it seems to be likely, so the safaris will continue.

The giant kokopu appears to have a swelling belly.

A swelling belly, possibly more kokopu to come

I have lived in my house since the mid 1980s and been aware over the years of the great efforts that have been made in cleaning up the stream, reducing pollution, looking after its surrounding vegetation and protecting its banks from erosion. In this urban landscape, all of that hard work is paying off. ‘My’ giant kokopu has made its home under a gabion basket that reinforces the bank against erosion during the periods of intense flow that follow heavy rain.  With so much asphalt and so many storm water drains that feed the stream, the water flow can quickly change from a trickle to a raging torrent, the back to a trickle as the water flows into the harbour.  All of this, in some mysterious way, is an essential part of the life cycle of these beautiful fish, and it all happens in urban Wellington.

The stream where the giant kokopu was found.

Lots of work has gone in to cleaning up the stream

Is this really a mum-to-be?  Is there a dad-to-be on hand to fertilise the eggs?  Where will this happen, and will there be a happy ending?  What’s more, will I ever find out?  I think that a few more safaris are needed.

Giant kokopu in urban Wellington.

Is this really a mum-to-be?

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