 |
Daisy
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The
well
told
story
of
the
recovery
of
the
Chatham
Island
black
robin
is
extraordinary.
The
numbers
of
the
black
robins
had
declined
to
a
mere
five
birds
in
1979.
“Old
Blue’
was
one
of
only
two
females
that
successfully
bred.
Now
black
robins
number
in
excess
of
200
birds
because
of
the
innovative
techniques
used
by
the
Wildlife
Service
staff,
none
of
course
was
possible
without
Old
Blue.
A
similar
tale
can
be
told
about
the
flightless
and
primarily
nocturnal
Campbell
Island
Teal.
This
small
ducks’
last
refuge
was
Dent
Island,
a
23
hectare
rock
stack
three
kilometres
west
of
Campbell
Island
in
the
sub-antarctic.
The
teal
were
once
presumed
to
be
found
in
large
numbers
on
the
11
300
ha
Campbell
Island
(CI)
but
the
introduction
of
mammalian
predators
wiped
out
all
of
the
teal
on
CI.
Thought
to
be
extinct,
the
teal
were
rediscovered
in
1975
on
predator-free
Dent
Island.
Due
to
the
small
and
single
population
of
teal,
action
was
required
to
conserve
this
unique
species.
The
long-term
goal
was
to
reintroduce
teal
back
onto
Campbell
Island
once
predator
eradication
had
occurred.
Because
of
such
a
small
source
population
a
transfer
of
teal
direct
to
Campbell
Island
was
not
feasible.
It
was
decided
that
some
birds
would
be
transferred
into
captivity
to
establish
a
captive
breeding
programme.
The
National
Wildlife
Centre
is
a
captive-breeding
institute
managed
by
the
Department
of
Conservation
(previously
the
Wildlife
Service).
The
pioneering
facility
has
been
involved
in
many
breeding
programmes
since
the
1960s
and
its
successes
include
the
breeding
of
takahe,
blue
duck,
little
spotted
kiwi,
saddleback,
Antipodes
Island
parakeet,
black
stilt,
kereru
and
great
spotted
kiwi.
Two
separate
expeditions
in
1984
recovered
four
teal,
of
which
only
one
female
was
captured.
Various
pairings
were
tried
but
with
no
success.
A
pair
was
sent
to
a
private
breeder
in
Rotorua
with
waterfowl
experience
in
1986,
while
the
two
remaining
males
were
held
on
display.
In
1989
the
pair
were
returned
after
no
success.
In
1990
a
further
seven
birds
were
caught
(3
females,
4
males)
during
a
six
week
long
expedition
(Gouswaard
1991).
One
pair
went
to
Rotorua
and
the
remaining
five
birds
were
brought
to
the
National
Wildlife
Centre
to
join
the
surviving
two
males.
The
pair
from
Rotorua
was
returned
and
despite
various
pairing
combinations,
none
were
successful.
CI
teal
makes
were
then
paired
with
Auckland
Island
females
to
determine
fertility
and
give
them
rearing
experience.
In
1992,
the
three
pairs
of
mixes
Campbell/Auckland
Island
pairs
were
flocked.
Three
single
adjacent
aviaries
were
converted
to
form
a
large
flocking
aviary,.
Two
pairs
established
territories
and
successfully
bred.
A
purpose
built
teal
aviary
(20
x
23m)
was
constructed
in
1993
and
three
pairs
of
CI
teal
were
flocked
together.
The
design
of
the
aviary
consisted
of
four
seepage
ponds
that
lead
to
a
larger
central
pond.
Unfortunately
the
design
allowed
one
male
to
become
territorial
and
dominant
over
the
whole
enclosure,
and
no
breeding
occurred.
Consequently
the
flock
aviary
was
redesigned
so
that
the
central
pond
was
eliminated
and
more
vegetation
planted,
reducing
the
view
the
dominant
male
had
in
the
previous
year.
Three
mixed
pairs
were
then
trialled
in
the
redesigned
aviary
in
1994.
Two
males
were
dominant,
with
one
male
mating
with
two
females
and
three
clutches
were
produced.
Three
Campbell
Island
pairs
were
flock
mated
using
five
adjacent
aviaries
during
the
same
season.
Finally,
after
ten
years
of
trying,
the
first
nest
was
found
from
the
pair
‘Donald’
and
‘Daisy.’
Two
ducklings
were
produced
and
remarkably,
a
further
two
ducklings
were
reared
in
a
second
clutch
of
the
season.
This
marked
a
significant
occasion
in
the
captive
breeding
programme
and
essentially
secured
the
future
for
CI
teal.
Although
tow
other
females
remained
within
the
captive
population,
both
failed
to
reproduce
despite
many
pairing
combinations
over
the
years.
Only
one
of
the
females
attempted
to
breed
but
she
died
egg
bound,
eight
years
after
she
was
captured.
Because
of
the
remoteness
of
Dent
Island
and
the
fragile
state
of
that
population,
further
capture
expeditions
were
unthinkable.
It
is
this
reason
that
makes
Daisy
so
special.
Had
it
not
been
for
Daisy
there
is
little
doubt
that
the
CI
teal
would
be
almost
extinct.
The
total
population
was
estimated
to
be
between
30-100
birds
in
1993
(Callaghan
&
Green
1993)
but
in
a
1997
census,
only
three
teal
were
found.
Clutches
are
small
compared
to
most
ducks
and
consist
of
1-5
eggs,
with
a
typical
clutch
size
3
or
4.
Campbell
Island
teal
produce
the
largest
eggs
laid
in
relation
to
body
size
compared
to
other
native
teal.
Daisy
and
Donald
produced
19
ducklings
over
the
five
years
they
were
paired
together.
In
1999,
the
pair
were
separated
since
they
were
so
well
represented.
Daisy
has
since
gone
on
to
rear
a
further
5
ducklings.
Donald
unfortunately
died
in
2000
from
old
age
related
problems.
Donald
was
an
adult
when
he
was
caught
in
1984,
so
was
at
least
16
years
old
when
he
died.
Daisy
has
reared
24
ducklings
herself,
but
she
has
produced
another
39
indirectly
via
her
offspring
and
their
offspring.
Although
flock
mating
was
the
initial
trigger
to
stimulate
breeding,
birds
are
now
force-paired
(no
mate
choice)
so
that
the
best
possible
genetic
pairings
are
formed.
Five
of
the
seven
founder
males
have
contributed
to
the
captive
gene
pool.
Two
releases
onto
Codfish
Island/Whenua
Hou
occurred
in
1999
and
2000.
The
island
is
simply
a
temporary
holding
island
but
enabled
survival
rates
and
wild
behaviour
to
be
observed.
Both
releases
resulted
in
high
survival
with
breeding
occurring
in
the
first
season
post-release.
Sheep,
cattle
and
cats
are
no
longer
present
on
Campbell
Island
and
in
June
2000,
the
larges
rodent
eradication
attempt
was
conducted.
This
has
been
a
massive
undertaking
but
many
species
will
benefit
from
this
eradication,
including
the
teal.
Confirmation
of
the
success
of
the
eradication
will
be
confirmed
in
June
2003.
a
large
release
of
teal
is
planned
for
August
2004
and
will
consist
of
captive-reared
and
‘wild’
trained
teal.
This
will
be
the
first
time
Campbell
Island
teal
have
been
present
on
their
native
island
in
over
180
years.
The
black
robin
and
the
Campbell
Island
teal
were
literally
on
the
brink
of
extinction.
Both
Old
Blue
and
Daisy
deserve
the
highest
of
merits
for
saving
their
species.
In
both
cases,
it
is
unfortunate
that
only
one
female
ever
bred,
but
it
is
unbearable
to
think
where
we
would
be
now
without
these
two
saviours.
The
dedicated
efforts
of
the
Wildlife
Service
and
Department
of
Conservation
staff
over
the
many
years
also
require
special
mention
in
honour
of
their
achievements
Karen
Barlow,
National
Wildlife
Centre
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