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Archives For 30/11/1999

Chatham Island students visit Rangatira Nature Reserve

Dave Houston —  11/07/2012

By Dave Houston

Mid-winter opportunity to work on Chatham petrel burrows

In early July each year a small group of DOC workers head out to Rangatira or South East Island in the Chatham’s to undertake end of season work on the Chatham petrel burrows.  This year we decided to give Chatham Island school children an opportunity to join us and experience the magic of Rangatira.

Rangatira Island

Rangatira or South East Island

We were joined by Year 11 Correspondence School students Harriet Graydon and Mia Foley, both of Pitt Island, along with Chatham Islander Jacob Hill, a Year 12 student at St Bedes College, for the 4-day trip. 

After completing quarantine procedures designed to keep the islands pest-free, we caught an early morning fishing-boat ride from the main island to Pitt, to pick up Mia and Harriet.  After a brief stop and exchange of mail and supplies, we departed for the forty minute trip to Rangatira.

The landing

Landing on Rangatira

Rangatira residents

No jetty means a bow landing on the rock platform and a frantic passing ashore of the buckets containing our food and gear, but the team handled it flawlessly. 

As soon as we were ashore we bumped into our first special species, the shore plover.  Once abundant around the coasts of New Zealand, this plucky little shorebird was eradicated by rats and survived only on Rangatira.  Fortunately, it has now been returned to several mainland sites.

Chatham Island black robin

Chatham Island black robin

While hauling the buckets up to the hut we bumped into our next special resident – the black robin.  With around 200 birds, Rangatira is the stronghold for the species and over the next few days we got to see quite a few as they jumped out of the forest at us in anticipation of a mealworm handout.

After settling in we fitted everyone out with petrel boards – special footwear designed to prevent us collapsing seabird burrows as we walked around the island.  We then set off on our main task, checking 250 burrows of the endangered Chatham Island petrel. 

After checking that this years chicks had successfully fledged (and unfortunately a few didn’t), we did a bit of housekeeping and then put a barricade in front of the entrance to stop other seabirds taking up residence while the petrels are away over the winter.

Checking chatham petrel burrow

Mia, Harriet and Jacob checking a Chatham petrel burrow

While wandering around the forest for a few days we got the opportunity to see more island residents – including the Chatham Island species of snipe, parakeets, tui, tomtit, warbler and skink. 

On our first night we hoped to introduce the visitors to the many seabirds and abundant invertebrates that call the island home.  Unfortunately, the great weather and full moon kept all the seabirds at sea so we had to be content listening to blue penguins braying in the forest.

Petrel boards

Fancy footwear: Petrel boards reduce damage to the many seabird
burrows in the forest floor

Reluctant return

All too soon it was time to pack up, lug the gear back to the landing and await the arrival of our ride.  Our skipper Glen King treated us to the scenic route on the way home, travelling around the bottom and up the western side of Pitt Island, taking in views of Mangere and Little Mangere Islands on the way as well as taking us into an impressive sea cave.

Rangatira view

Harriet, Mia and Jacob enjoying the view from the summit of Rangatira.
Pitt Island in background

Mia and Harriet’s  families were waiting on the wharf at Flowerpot when we arrived, glad to see their kids home safe and just a bit jealous of the experience.  Jacob had to endure another hour-long crossing of Pitt Strait before he could head home, but the experience can’t have been to bad as he wants to come back when we open up the petrel burrows again in November.  I think he’ll have some competition, as the girls want to go too.

Trip home

Jacob and Harriet enjoying the trip home along with
Ranger Juzah Zammit-Ross

In Chatham Islands, Islands, Native animals, Volunteers ,
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History of bird translocations in New Zealand

Department of Conservation —  25/06/2012

Te Papa’s curator of terrestrial vertebrates Colin Miskelly (a former DOC staff member) recently reviewed the history of bird translocations in New Zealand.

Colin co-authored a paper with former DOC scientist Ralph Powlesland, which will be published in the journal Notornis. Here, Colin provides a potted history of bird translocations before and after the formation of DOC.

Richard Henry outside his boatshed, Pigeon Island, Dusky Sound, Fiordland, March 1900

“New Zealand conservation managers have rightly gained world renown for preventing the extinction of many critically endangered birds. One of the main tools in the species conservation toolkit has been translocation—particularly to islands with few or no introduced predators.

“The history of New Zealand bird translocations dates back 150 years to Sir George Grey’s releases of kiwi and weka on Kawau Island,” says Colin. 

“However, the first concerted efforts were by Richard Henry on Resolution Island when he attempted to rescue Fiordland kākāpō and kiwi from invasive stoats in 1895–1903.

“Few bird translocations were attempted (or successful) for the next 60 years, until a young Wildlife Service officer began trials with North Island saddlebacks early in 1964.

North Island saddleback/tīeke juvenile

“Later that same year, the techniques and expertise that Don Merton and colleagues had developed on Taranga/Hen Island were used in a desperate effort to rescue South Island saddlebacks from extinction.

“The invasion of the South Cape islands (Taukihepa, Rerewhakaupoko and Pukeweka) by ship rats in 1964 was a turning point in New Zealand conservation. The saddlebacks were rescued, but the extinction of South Island snipe and bush wren were pivotal in the Wildlife Service taking a more proactive approach to species conservation,” says Colin.

“During the next 23 years (through to the formation of DOC in 1987), at least 125 bird translocations were undertaken, with 18 species moved successfully. High profile successes included translocation of the entire world population of black robins (7 birds!) from Little Mangere Island to neighbouring Mangere Island (in the Chatham Islands) in 1976–77.

“There has been an explosion in the number and diversity of translocations attempted since DOC’s creation—including over 280 translocations of 49 different bird species. The main driver for this huge increase in translocation effort has been the development of island and mainland pest control techniques, including development of predator-resistant fences.

“Mainland restoration has allowed many more New Zealanders to have a direct involvement with species translocations. Community-based restoration groups have proliferated, and they now generate the bulk of species translocation proposals.

Whio project, Mangatepopo, Tongariro National Park

“Over the first 25 years of DOC, staff have participated in a paradigm shift from them doing the bulk of species conservation work, to the current situation where DOC staff support and encourage community-led initiatives.”

Local Te Anau children Liam Norris and Maki Kameyama help
DOC scientist Graeme Elliott open one of the mohua transfer boxes
in the Eglinton Valley

Do you know of any community-led initiatives is your area? There are hundreds of community conservation projects working in partnership with DOC around the country. Join an existing one in your region or start your own.

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Sirocco inspecting a Maud Island frog

Sirocco supervises Maud Island frog monitoring

Sirocco the Spokesbird —  05/06/2012

Join Sirocco as he lends a beak with frog monitoring on Maud Island.

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In Islands, Native animals, Sirocco the kakapo , ,
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Takahē helping to build partnerships

Department of Conservation —  31/05/2012

Quammen and Te Hoiere, may be a couple of ‘dud’ takahē when it comes to breeding, but at Orokonui Ecosanctuary near Dunedin, they are being hailed as ambassadors for conservation.

Meet Quammen and Te Hoiere. Photo: Paul Nevin.

Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue logo

Their arrival is being celebrated as a great example of what can be achieved by partnerships like the one between the Orokonui Ecosanctuary, DOC, local iwi, and Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue.

The two takahē travelled by boat, car and plane to Dunedin from Maud Island in the Marlborough Sounds last Tuesday. Under the watchful eye of media and about 25 invited guests, the birds were released into the Ecosanctuary—a project of the Otago Natural History Trust. Ecosanctuary operations manager Chris Baillie said it had taken a long time and much work to get the birds to the Ecosanctuary, and to see them arrive was like a “dream come true.”

With Mitre 10 (who sponsor the takahē recovery programme) and DOC working together to renew and refresh Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue, national chairman and Mitre 10 MEGA Dunedin owner Martin Dippie was keen for his store to get involved with Orokonui Ecosanctuary by supporting it as a new home for takahē.

Orokonui Ecosanctuary map

His store provided materials for a new enclosure, which Mitre 10 staff enthusiastically spent a day helping the Ecosanctuary to build.

“The event at Orokonui went really well with a number of groups working together to give the birds a warm welcome to their new home. It was great to work closely with DOC, Orokonui, and local iwi, further developing our relationships,” said Mr Dippie.”

“At Mitre 10 we’re eager to continue to develop our partnership at a more local level with DOC, and in Dunedin we will further build our relationship with Orokonui to help support Te Hoiere and Quammen in their new home.”

Takahē ranger Martin Genet looks on as Mitre 10’s Martin Dippie and iwi representative Hoata Holmes release the takahē into Orokonui Ecosanctuary

Mr Dippie was on hand to release Quammen into the new enclosure, while Kati Huirapa Runaka ki Puketeraki iwi representative Hoata Holmes released Te Hoiere. Mitre 10 staff also joined a public event to celebrate the arrival of the takahē into Dunedin on Sunday, providing a marquee and BBQ for fundraising.

Te Anau Area Manager Reg Kemper said the transfer of takahē to Orokonui was a credit to the takahē team, whose focus was on building the national takahē population, creating new sites for takahē, and working in partnership with Mitre 10 to increase the support for takahē conservation.

“This transfer ticks all the boxes,” said Reg. “The team have managed to remove a couple of non-breeding birds from Maud Island, freeing up space for breeding birds. By providing the  Ecosanctuary with the takahē, they have created a golden opportunity for more New Zealanders to get up close and appreciate these unique birds; they’re supporting our partners, fostering relationships between our partners and at the end of the day its all increasing support for conservation.”

Learn more

About takahe on the DOC website

Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue partnership on the DOC website

Orokonui Ecosanctuary website

In Islands, Native animals, Nelson/Marlborough, Otago, Partnerships , , , ,
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This is your life—Dave Murray

Department of Conservation —  04/05/2012

After 39 years working in conservation, Dave Murray retired at the end of February from the Te Manahuna Area Office in Twizel. A sociable character, you always knew when Dave was in the room! His lively presence will be missed in the office.

Dave spent the last 30 years working with critically endangered kakī in the Mackenzie Basin. Over this time he developed a huge depth of knowledge on New Zealand’s unique braided rivers, having worked within all major riverbeds from Godley river in the north, to Ahuriri river in the south.

Dave on his honeymoon. In Seaforth Valley, Fiordland

Name: Dave Murray.

Job position: Ranger – Assets-biodiversity, Te Manahuna Area office, Twizel.

How did you get into conservation work?

I started off working for the New Zealand Wildlife Service. The job was very diverse and I was one of the last people to get a job without a degree or the internal traineeship. There were only 200 employees in the Wildlife Service working in the field so you knew everyone—you could ring anybody for advice. It was far less formal, and more relaxed than DOC. There was not much money and you had to do everything on a shoestring.

I spent some time in Rotorua doing law enforcement work and then moved to the West Coast. I spent several years carrying out bird and vegetation counts in the beech forest. We worked from Westport through to Okarito, concentrating on areas that were likely to be involved in logging.

Early days looking after kakī in Mackenzie Basin for the New Zealand Wildlife Service

What was your role with DOC?

After a stint as the sole Wildlife Service officer in Hokitika, I was asked to come and look after the kakī/black stilts in Twizel in 1981. Since that time I have seen the kakī numbers slowly increase. Kakī would have been extinct by now if we hadn’t been doing what we have been doing.

How did the Kakī Recovery Programme get started?

In 1981 there were only 23 kakī left. Ron Neilson was working for the New Zealand Wildlife Service in Dunedin and he came up and realised there were not many kakī. Also, Ray Pierce was doing a thesis at Otago University on black stilts and pied stilts and he figured out that between the two species, there were not many left.

Dave on a kakī release near Lake Tekapo in winter

Have you any thoughts on preservation of our braided rivers and wildlife?

How do people use riverbeds without stuffing them up? It would be good to fence off riverbeds and allow people to walk around them and not be able to drive. I‘ve seen a huge increase in the number of 4WDs in riverbeds over the years. I have also seen people park in the middle of black-fronted tern colonies to go fishing and wonder why the birds are annoying them.

Most winters Dave would run away from the office… here, in Nepal on Chhukung Ri, 5830 metres

What was the best part of your job?

Walking the river deltas on calm, clear days in winter… then spotting banded kakī that I knew and seeing them survive in winter—it’s pretty encouraging.

What is your favourite place?

Okarito on the West Coastis a place that is special to me.

Dave in South Westland

What are your plans now?

I’ve got a lot of images to categorise. I’d also like to photograph new stuff—I have just been photographing saddlebacks and stitchbirds. I take pictures of birds doing things, I don’t like posed pictures.

Dave’s wife Liz, daughter Tara, and Dave after finishing the Kepler Challenge

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