An ambitious goal to eradicate rats from two islands in the Palmerston Atoll Cook Islands has been underway. We take a look at how it’s going.
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The life of a scientist in the Department of Conservation is worlds apart from the traditional stereotype of a lab-coat wearing academic hidden inside and away from the âreal worldâ. DOC’s Threatened Species Ambassador Nicola Toki talks to alpine ecologist, Dr Kerry Weston. Kerry’s work takes her to the top of New Zealandâs peaks to try to unravel the mystery of the worldâs most ancient species of wren, a vital indicator for the health of our high rise ecosystems.
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By Wendy Sullivan, Partnerships Ranger, Picton
Last March I was watching the news on the television when a story came on about a ‘Pestival‘ (a pest festival would you believe!) in the small town of Picton.
The Pestival was run by a community group at the Kaipupu Point Sounds Wildlife Sanctuary, and had Gareth Morgan as guest speaker â coincidently it was not long after Gareth had the hit headlines regarding his Cats to Go campaign. Over 500 people came to this local event.
Little did I know that 12 months later I would be living in Picton, and would end up meeting the charismatic organisers of the second annual PestivalâJenny Keene, Jo OâConnell and Chrissy Powlesland.
This time around I was determined to be a part of the event and to help make it even bigger and better than the previous year.
The Pestival is a uniquely kiwi, âheartland partyâ to raise funds for Kaipupu Point, a predator fenced reserve located right next to the ferry terminals in Picton.
The Pestival also aims to raise awareness of pests and predators, and the focus is on what you can do in your backyardâwhether it’s planting bird friendly trees, building weta houses, or learning how to trap.
The Raticators – Peter Hobson and Helen Crook
I have heard from locals who attended the Pestival last year that they were able to go away knowing the difference between a Norway rat and a ship rat, and which trap is the best one to use for a certain type of pest.
The dayâs entertainment includes live music, food, local delicacies, environmental speakers, mini-workshops, conservation and trapping stalls, a market place, a pest contest, fancy dress prizes and a childrenâs programme.
Rat nibbling a sign
Visit Kaipupu Point
With natural ecosystems flourishing in an almost completely pest free environment, Kaipupu Point is well worth a visit. It’s open year-round and free for everyone to enjoy.
Pestival 2014 â Saturday 22 March
The second annual Pestival will be held on Saturday 22 March 2014 11 amâ6 pm, at the Waitohi Domain, Picton.
More information is available on the DOC website.
Today’s photo of the week is of a red-crowned parakeet/kÄkÄriki taking a bath in a stream in Rotorua. KÄkÄriki, means âsmall green parrotâ in MÄori.
There are five main species of kÄkÄriki. The red-crowned species is distinguished by a bright crimson forehead, crown and a streak extending back beyond the eyes.
Attacks by introduced predators such as stoats and rats are the main threat to kÄkÄriki.
This photo was taken by Jackson Wood |Â CC BY-NC 2.0.
The bush wren, laughing owl, and native thrush are all extinct.
Stoats are thought to have caused their demiseâas well as the decline of many of New Zealand’s other indigenous bird species. They also feed heavily on our native reptiles and invertebrates.
The images below show the devastation that a stoat can wreck on our native speciesâin this case New Zealand’s smallest bird, the rifleman/titipounamu.
DOC ranger, Anja McDonald, sent through these heartbreaking images.
They were taken at Tennyson Inlet in the Marlborough Sounds. She explains:
The male bird was in the nest when the stoat came and we don’t see any pictures of him coming out again. The rifleman mother then returns to her nest. The things in her beak are likely to be the remains of either her husband or her chicks.
When we climbed the tree later, to bring the camera in, there was only a female around, which suggests the stoat possibly ate both the adult male and the chicks.
A very sad end for these small birds, but a important reminder of the pest control work that needs to be done to protect our native species.
