Super User
Monday, 19 March 2018 07:06
Kiwi deaths at Pukaha
Kiwi deaths at Pukaha
We are saddened to let you know that we are currently dealing with a suspected ferret incursion at Pukaha with the death of 7 kiwi (3 juvenile and 4 adult) since March 2015. The juvenile kiwi deaths include the two white kiwi hatched in the wild in February this year.
The Department of Conservation, which looks after predator control at Pukaha, has stepped up its trapping regime and consulted a number of experts, both within DoC and the wider predator control community, to ensure everything possible is being done to stop this predation event. This includes changing the type of bait in traps and the frequency that the traps are serviced.
While this event is without doubt a setback, we are confident that the predator control programme in place throughout the reserve and in the buffer zone around it will continue to make our unfenced reserve as safe as possible for our birds.
While the programme gives kiwi and other native species the best possible start, we cannot ensure their complete safety and have to accept that there will always be losses.
The sad loss of these kiwi has been a blow to our staff and the Pukaha community. Kiwi have a precarious existence and there will always be loss of life as has been seen in fenced and unfenced predator-protected reserves in New Zealand. It makes us even more determined to continue with our long-term aim of a self-sustaining kiwi population at Pukaha.
Since the Pukaha Forest Restoration project began in 2002, 3 endangered native bird species have been successfully reintroduced and are thriving – North Island Brown Kiwi, North Island Kaka and North Island Kokako.
We are grateful for your ongoing support.
Helen Tickner General Manager.
Published in
Issue 164
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Monday, 19 March 2018 06:59
Wicked wasps
Wasps are one of the most damaging invertebrate pests in New Zealand; they harm our native birds and insects and compete for food with our native species. If you put together all the wasps in honeydew beech forests they would weigh more than the weight of birds, rodents and stoats combined.
This new study has found that wasps also have a major financial impact on primary industries and the health sector. This includes:
- More than $60 million a year in costs to pastoral farming from wasps disrupting bee pollination activities, reducing the amount of clover in pastures and increasing fertiliser costs.
- Almost $9 million a year cost to beekeepers from wasps attacking honey bees, robbing their honey and destroying hives.
- Wasp-related traffic accidents estimated to cost $1.4 million a year.
- Over $1 million each year spent on health costs from wasp stings.
- On top of the direct costs, almost $60 million a year is lost in unrealised honey production from beech forest honeydew which is currently being monopolised by wasps. Honeydew is also a valuable energy source for kaka, tui and bellbirds.
DOC Scientist Eric Edwards said these numbers are conservative. The actual cost of wasps is much higher especially if you take into account the impact on tourism and our love of the outdoors, which this study wasn’t able to measure in full.
“It’s hard to put a dollar value on people’s attitudes to wasps and to what extent wasps prevent them from visiting conservation land or taking part in outdoor tourism activities,” he said.
“Wasps are a massive annoyance and their multiple stings can cause a lifetime effect of making young people reluctant to return to forests and parks.”
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Dr Erik van Eyndhoven said that reducing wasp abundance would produce major flow on benefits to pastoral farming and horticulture through increased bee pollination services.
“This study shows it makes economic sense, as well as environmental sense, to invest in research to control wasps,” he said.
“MPI is working with DOC to encourage the science community, and their funders, to further explore a range of tools needed to control wasps in the long term,” Dr van Eyndhoven said. The MPI Sustainable Farming Fund has recently supported investigations into the bio control potential of a new mite discovered in wasp nests. And DOC has been actively working on a programme to better control wasps and has been piloting a targeted bait station method on conservation land.
An evaluation of the cost of pest wasps (Vespula species) in New Zealand, by the Sapere Research Group, was jointly funded by the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Published in
Issue 164
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Monday, 19 March 2018 06:58
Rare and interesting sighting
Five plumed whistling ducks were sighted on a Kokatahi farm near Hokitika on the South Island’s west coast a few weeks ago and reported to the Department of Conservation.
These plumed whistling ducks are a striking waterfowl species endemic to Australia.
Formerly considered of rare occurrence in New Zealand (recorded eight time during the 20th century, small flocks have occurred at least six times since 2000.
Most sightings have been of small flocks (about 14 birds) at the western edge of New Zealand, but birds have reached Hawke’s Bay (Napier, two were still present in February this year) and the Chatham Islands (two different flocks of three, both in 2011).
Supplied by the Issac Conservation and Wildlife Trust.
Published in
Issue 164
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Monday, 19 March 2018 06:50
Bring back lead shot
Call to bring back lead shot for duck shooting
On the eve of the duck shooting season New Zealand First repeated its call for the restoration of lead shot.
“Many shooters say the steel shot does not always kill and birds may die over hours or days,” said spokesperson on Outdoor Recreation Richard Prosser.
“Some shooters are using smaller gauge shotguns so they can use the lead shot to kill instantly. Others are having to cope with steel shot, and taking care to aim appropriately to try for a ‘clean kill’, but they want a return to lead shot.
“It’s high time the government listened to shooters, took all aspects of animal welfare seriously and ensured lead shot was made available for the commonly used 12 gauge shot gun”.
Authorised by Richard Prosser,
Government Buildings, Wellington.
Published in
Issue 164
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Monday, 19 March 2018 06:46
Fabulous Whio
The whio or blue duck, which features on our $10 note, is endemic to New Zealand. Rarer than some species of kiwi, with an estimated population of under 3000, it is nationally vulnerable and faces the risk of becoming extinct.
Their Maori name is whio whio, and they are found nowhere else in the world. A river specialist, they inhabit clean, fast flowing streams in the forested upper catchments of our rivers.
Nesting along the riverbanks, they are at high risk of attack from stoats and rats.
Staglands Wildlife Reserve have had whio for many years and are one on New Zealand’s most successful breeders of this iconic bird. Their current pairs’ aviary is undergoing major renovations. The plan is that it will become a much larger, walk-through aviary that will house not only the whio but also kakariki and possibly kaka, with the ultimate goal being to offer visitors an even better experience.
In 1976, Staglands was a world leader in developing the first walk-through aviary for their kea, well ahead of what was considered the norm at the time. For owner, John Simisters the motivation was simple, ‘to offer both visitors and the kea a richer interaction’
Today, 40 years on, walk-through aviaries are recognised as best practice by the industry. Given this track record visitors should be in for a treat, once renovations are completed, later this year.
Published in
Issue 164
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Monday, 19 March 2018 06:43
Weedbusting, Mahurangi River, Warkworth
Just thought I’d fill you in with a couple of the shots taken of our Weedbusting along the Mahurangi River, Warkworth.
Mardieraa Vine produced wee tubers that then drop to the ground. Dreadful thing!
Convolvulus – another dreadful invasive vine. And then there is privet, both tree and bush growing along the river edge. Quite hard to cut and paste.
Heaps of work to be done as the river really needs this love and care! Although the Mallards don’t mind it!
Pattie Williams
Monday, 19 March 2018 06:39
Whio released earlier this year
Hi all,
Another release in March with four birds on the Tongariro and the other four on the Whakapapa not far from the Chateau.
Because we had so many people we split the release on the Whakapapa and released two birds at each site about 200m apart.
It was another fantastic day.
The first photo at the Trout Centre are all Orana Birds.
With the last release we found ourselves a cave – well almost.
Peter Russell
Whio Captive Co-ordinator
Monday, 19 March 2018 06:37
There must be ducks somewhere
Dianne's dogs
Monday, 19 March 2018 06:32
The excitement of the shoot
Glen Butts at Lake Koromatua.
“I have been shooting there for 33 years, the Maimai was rebuilt about 1992 by Murray Davies who uses the Maimai from the second weekend. In the foreground is my nephew Murray Butts and behind him is my son Craig Butts. Opening weekend always sees a few birds for the table.”
Murray has been a member of DU pretty much since the beginning, and said he and Kelvin Mackie were the first elected Directors of DU, back in the days of Ian and Dawn Pirani, Paul and Cheryl Pirani, Jack Worth, Bud Jones, Neil Hayes, Henry Lickers, Neil McCleod etc.
Photos: Glen Butts.
Monday, 19 March 2018 06:27
Action at Ruffit Lodge east of Woodville
Published in
Issue 164
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