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Summary
March 1999 – March 2000
Captive kaka: The young female kaka, "Nyoni",
hand-reared by staff last season, was housed in aviary
4 once she had fledged and was feeding herself. She died
from lead poisoning (unknown source) on 21/7/99.
The captive kaka pair produced one clutch of five fertile
eggs in October. Of these, three chicks were raised, which
will be released into the wild at Mount Bruce this winter.
Wild
kaka: Four adult males from captivity and one juvenile
female (hand-reared from Peacock Springs) were released
in September 1999. The juvenile female disappeared soon
after release, but the males have all survived and mixed
with the resident wild kaka.
Only two of the wild kaka females bred this season, Taepiro
(three clutches with Te Mimi) and Cleo (one clutch with
Bruce). Infertile eggs were produced by both. The only
mortality has been of last year's juveniles (4 died out
of 6; 66%): Rata, Rimu, Midge (Yakka's) and Matai (Cleo's).
Rangatira has been seen on a couple of occasions and is
presumed to be still alive. There have been two possible
but unconfirmed sightings of Tua, by Alison and Emil.
No chicks produced
Summary
March 2000 – March 2001
Captive kaka: Jones and Ngaio laid three clutches this
season, one of which was incubated full term, and produced
three chicks. These chicks will be released into the wild
at Pukaha Mount Bruce this winter.
Wild
kaka: The only known adult mortality this year was Mountie,
but Monroe went missing in September, and there have been
no sightings of Rangitira since June. Three juvenile females
(offspring of Jones and Ngaio) and one juvenile male kaka
from Auckland were released at Pukaha Mount Bruce in September
2000. The male “Taonui” disappeared a couple
of months after release, but the three females (DJ, Bailey
and Garbo) have all survived and mixed well with the resident
wild kaka. Four pairs bred this season, in natural nest
sites (Tem and Tae, Cleo’s first clutch) and artificial
nestboxes (DJ & Jim, Mel & Buster, Cleo’s
second clutch). As was the case last year, Tem and Tae
had three clutches of infertile eggs. Cleo, with Koro
and Bruce, successfully fledged one chick (Maire) from
a natural nest, and three chicks from an artificial nestbox.
Two of these chicks have since died from suspected predator
attacks, but the third chick (Belize) is currently alive
and well. Buster and Mel successfully reared three chicks
(Tuli, Sala and Gweta) in an artificial nestbox; all three
chicks fledged and are currently alive. DJ and Jim successfully
fledged two chicks (Charlie and Carlos) from an artificial
nestbox and both fledglings are currently alive and well.
Nine chicks fledged
Summary
March 2001 – March 2002
Captive kaka: There were two releases of captive kaka
into Pukaha Mount Bruce forest this year. Two birds transferred
from Rainbow Springs and one bird transferred from Auckland
Zoo were released in May. Jones and Ngaio’s three
offspring from the 2000/01 breeding season were released
in September.
In September Jones and Ngaio were transferred to Wellington
Zoo and birds from Auckland Zoo and Wellington Zoo were
transferred to Pukaha Mount Bruce to become our resident
pair. This pair (“Millie” and “Muzz”)
began nesting very quickly after arrival and have had
three nesting attempts in total this season. Their first
nest produced four fledglings and their second consisted
of infertile eggs. Eggs from their third nesting attempt
are currently hatching and have produced 2 chicks so far.
All offspring produced by Millie and Muzz will be released
into Pukaha Mount Bruce forest this year.
Wild
kaka: As mentioned above six kaka were released into Pukaha
Mount Bruce forest during 2001. Six pairs nested this
year, producing a total of 17 chicks, 11 of which survived
to fledge. There are currently nine fledglings alive in
Pukaha Mount Bruce forest. Four pairs nested in artificial
nestboxes, while two pairs chose natural nest sites which
were protected from predators by staff.
Seven free-flying kaka died this year, five killed by
predators and two due to health reasons. There were also
four chick mortalities/disappearances from nests, due
to starvation/dehydration, and another two chicks were
killed in a natural nest site by a predator (suspect stoat).
Eleven chicks fledged
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Summary
March 2002 – March 2003
Captive kaka: There were two releases of captive kaka
into Pukaha Mount Bruce forest during 2002. Both releases
consisted of clutches from the captive pair, Millie &
Muzz, produced during the 2001/02 breeding season. Millie
and Muzz had a disastrous breeding season during 2002/2003.
It began in July, finished in December, and resulted in
Millie laying 30 eggs, none of which produced chicks.
Very out of character considering their excellent result
the previous breeding season, and very disappointing.
Wild
kaka: As mentioned above two releases of offspring from
Millie & Muzz occurred in 2002. Four juveniles were
released in May and three juveniles were released in September.
Two wild pairs nested this year, both choosing to nest
in artificial nestboxes. Four chicks from one nest and
two chicks from the other nest all successfully fledged,
and all are currently still alive.
Two kaka died during 2002 and another eight have been
classed as “missing”.
Six chicks fledged
Summary
March 2003 – March 2004
Captive kaka: Millie and Muzz are the breeding pair of
kaka at the NWC. Millie began nesting in June 2003. During
the season she laid a total of 35 eggs, most of which
were destroyed by Muzz. Muzz was moved out of the aviary
in November and Millie went on to successfully incubate
a clutch of seven eggs. Four of the seven eggs were fertile
and two chicks hatched in total. The two chicks fledged
in February 2004. There is the possibility that they will
be released at Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in 2004.
In
July three kaka were transferred to the NWC to be released
into Pukaha Mount Bruce Forest. Two juvenile male kaka
came from Auckland Zoo and a female kaka fledgling came
from Great Barrier Island. This kaka had been hand-reared
on the island after it was found seemingly abandoned before
fledging age. The kaka were housed together in the Kea
Aviary until November 2003 when the two males were released.
Unfortunately the female kaka was an unsuitable candidate
for release as she was too habituated to human company.
She was transferred to Auckland Zoo in November 2003.
In
February 2004 a near-to-fledging kaka chick was transferred
to the NWC from Hauturu/Little Barrier Island where it
had been found abandoned on the forest floor in January
2004. This kaka will hopefully be released into Pukaha
Mount Bruce Forest sometime in 2004.
Update of current season (March 2004 – March
2005)
Yakka
– natural nest site, unsure how many chicks
Tima – artificial nest box, 2 chicks due to fledge
in December
Tawa – artificial nest box, 3 chicks hatched so
far
DJ – artificial nest box, 4 chicks hatched so far
Chalky – artificial nest box, 2 chicks hatched so
far
Belize – artificial nest box, 2 chicks hatched so
far
Mel – artificial nest box, 2 chicks hatched so far
Maud – artificial nest box, 3 chicks hatched but
all found dead in nest, nest abandoned
Wild kaka: Ten pairs of kaka nested this season with eight
nesting attempts being in nestboxes and seven nesting
attempts in natural nest sites. Nine of these nesting
attempts successfully produced fledglings and six were
unsuccessful. Two pairs each successfully nested twice,
four pairs had successful first attempts and didn’t
re-nest, one pair were successful on their second attempt,
two pairs each had two unsuccessful breeding attempts
and one pair had one unsuccessful breeding attempt. In
addition a most-probably unpaired female laid two clutches
of infertile eggs. Contact was lost with another female
over the breeding season so there is also the possibility
that she has nested as well (she is still alive).
In
total this season there were a minimum of 10 breeding
pairs, 17 known clutches, a minimum of 51 eggs laid, a
minimum of 23 chicks hatched and a minimum of 19 fledglings
were produced.
No
transmitters were fitted to fledglings this season. Fourteen
fledglings were banded and a minimum of five fledglings
are unbanded.
As
mentioned in the captive kaka summary, two male kaka were
released into Pukaha Mount Bruce Forest during 2003. Four
kaka died during the 2003/04 season. One male died due
to health reasons, one male was killed by a predator (stoat),
one female was killed by a predator (dog) and one female
was killed on her nest by a predator (stoat). Four kaka
chicks died in nests. During the 2003/04 season five kaka
have gone missing: three males and two females.
A minimum of 19 chicks fledged
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