23 December 2005

Probe into Pukaha as a Centre of Learning

A grant of $100,000 has been confirmed by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to investigate an opportunity to combine economic development and environmental education at Pukaha Mount Bruce.

Sought by the Tararua District Council’s Economic Development Unit, the Regional Partnership Programme funding will enable a study into the feasibility of Pukaha Mount Bruce becoming a Centre of Learning, providing opportunities for collaboration with educational and research institutions both in New Zealand and overseas. Both visitors and students and the local economy would benefit from the development, Department of Conservation Wairarapa area manager Derrick Field said.

“It will strengthen the role of Pukaha Mount Bruce as a conservation education provider nationally and internationally, with a focus on education, research and Te Taiao Maori (Maori Environmental Science). The development would enhance Pukaha Mount Bruce as a visitor destination for eco-tourists and benefit other business in the region bringing economic benefits.

“We believe that we have something pretty special to offer with Pukaha Mount Bruce. Its accessible location just off State Highway 2; close proximity to Wellington and Palmerston North; facilities in place and unique conservation values, position it as an ideal venue for the kind of Centre of Learning facility we are proposing.

A project team will be formed early in the new year to embark on the study, expected to take a year to complete.

Outcomes will include the formation of a governance structure that will lead future development at Pukaha Mount Bruce, an understanding of the economic, environmental and social sustainability of a development project, and an understanding of existing and future capability needed within the organisation to implement and manage a Centre of Learning.

The involvement of the local community is a key objective and partnerships with New Zealand and international educational and research institutions will be investigated.

Tararua mayor Maureen Reynolds said if the outcome of the feasibility study supported the viability of the project, the centre could bring significant benefits to the Tararua district as a whole.

“If the numbers stack up from the feasibility study, and the development goes ahead, this will create new opportunities for existing and potential businesses in our region, which will service this facility.”

Pukaha Mount Bruce is 30 minutes north of Masterton and 10 minutes south of Eketahuna on State Highway 2. Approximately 35,000 domestic and international visitors experience Pukaha Mount Bruce every year, and almost 3000 school students currently participate in the “Learning Experiences outside the Classroom” (LEOTC) programme delivered throughout the year.

Pukaha Mount Bruce is the Department of Conservation’s National Wildlife Centre for breeding threatened species and is home to some of New Zealand’s most critically endangered species such as hihi, shore plover and Campbell Island teal.

Pukaha - the Maori name for the area - meaning ‘strong winds’ is one of the last remnants of the 70-mile bush (Te Tapere Nui o Whatonga), which stretched from Masterton to Norsewood. A forest restoration project underway since 2001 has seen rare kokako and kiwi returned to the forest, and breed successfully.
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22 November 2005

More kaka go wild at Pukaha Mount Bruce

One of the five kaka released today

The wild kaka population at Pukaha Mount Bruce was given another boost yesterday with the introduction of new arrivals released into the forest.  

Five captive-bred kaka from Hamilton Zoo were released into the wild to join more than 55 wild counterparts yesterday afternoon. Department of Conservation biodiversity unit programme manager Geoff Underwood says their arrival will help to increase the genetic diversity of the species because they have genes that are unrelated to the existing Pukaha Mount Bruce wild kaka.

“Increasing genetic diversity makes a population more robust by reducing the chance of in-breeding and diseases that could wipe out the whole population.”

The newcomers spent their first four weeks in quarantine before their release and were acclimatised to help them adjust to their new home. Their arrival was timed to coincide with the kaka breeding season, which is already underway with captive and wild pairs either incubating eggs or raising chicks.

“This breeding season is shaping up to be a very productive one, with our captive pair currently raising four chicks which will be released to the wild next year, and at least five wild pairs currently caring for chicks in the nest,” says Mr Underwood.

Among those celebrating their release was Tararua Mayor Maureen Reynolds who said she was delighted to have been invited to be present to observe this latest release of kaka.

“While I have attended releases before, each release means the continuation and extension of this very important conservation programme that is being developed by Pukaha Mount Bruce staff.”

The Pukaha Mount Bruce forest has the capacity to support more than 500 wild kaka, and it is hoped that the ongoing pest control programme and future releases of kaka to the wild will see the area become one of the major strongholds for this species in the North Island.

In 1996 nine juvenile kaka were released into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest, from where the species had been absent for nearly 50 years. They were a mix of wild-caught juveniles from Kapiti Island and captive-bred, hand-reared juvenile kaka from Auckland Zoo and Pukaha Mount Bruce. Five more juvenile captive-bred, parent-reared kaka were released into the forest a year later.
The kaka released into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest in 1996 were the first ever to be released from captivity onto the mainland and the first relocation of wild kaka. To help them adjust to live in the wild, their diet was supplemented with food provided on feeding trays and there was intensive protection from predators for nesting birds.

When Europeans first arrived in New Zealand, they found kaka in abundance throughout the forests of both islands, but by 1930 the birds were localised to a few areas. Today, they are still reasonably common in the Whirinaki, and Pureora forest parks, but even within these strongholds, numbers are thought to be declining and today the kaka is classified as being “nationally endangered.” The large, noisy parrot has fallen victim to introduced predators that kill chicks on the nest and introduced competitors that deprive it of vital foods.
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14 November 2005

Native frogs coming to Pukaha Mount Bruce

Had trouble sleeping or your conversation drowned out for the sound of croaking frogs? Blame it on the Aussies.

Despite popular opinion, New Zealand’s delicate and rapidly disappearing native frog does not make the raucous din that the introduced Australian counterparts do. In fact, they hardly make a sound. The Aussies are also carrying a fungal disease, which conservationists are fighting to keep from the native frogs.

And, if you ever have the unlikely chance to get up close and friendly with a frog, you’ll recognise the noisy Aussie immediately. He has an external eardrum.

Pukaha Mount Bruce is well known for its work in bringing endangered birds back from the brink of extinction and this summer it’ll be doing its bit for the native frog. The reserve will take in around 60 native Hochstetter frogs from Canterbury University.
Their care and breeding will be the responsibility of Geoff Underwood, who has come from Australia, via the United States. He is familiar to the plight of endangered species having worked in the area for 26 years. This included the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary northeast of Melbourne and at Tidbinbilla, south of Canberra. He met his wife, Beth in the United States when attending a national congress of zookeepers. Her specialty is gorillas. Asked how she could adapt her 18 years of primate experience to Wairarapa, Mr Underwood joked they had a 15 month old son, which Beth quips is equivalent to a large pack of gorillas in keeping under control! They both spied the Pukaha Mount Bruce biodiversity programme manager’s job being advertised and liked the idea of working with a new range of endangered species.
A special frog enclosure is to be built at Pukaha Mount Bruce, particularly aimed at keeping predators out. Cats, dogs, birds, rats and stoats – they are all the frog’s enemy, but the worst one is man. The sensitive frog hates having his natural habitat changed and mankind is doing that constantly.

Having a semi-permeable skin, frogs are also especially vulnerable to pollutants and other environmental stresses, so they are a great indicator of how clean the air is around you.
“If something detrimental is happening to frogs, we had better take notice, as they act as an early warning system for the health of our environment,” warns Mr Underwood.

To quote Kermit, it’s not easy being green, or brown in the Hochstetter’s case, but Mr Underwood is heartened by the success several groups, including the Department of Conversation is having, to increase native frog numbers.

There are four species of native frogs and three species of introduced frogs in New Zealand. 150 years ago there were seven native frogs. The native frogs remaining today are Archey, Maud Island, Hamilton and Hochstetter.

The three from Australia are the Whistling Frog, Golden Bell and Green Frog.

“We really do not know how well New Zealand’s frogs are coping amid the many reports of global amphibian declines, but we have seen a dramatic drop in frog numbers over the last few years,” says Mr Underwood. A chytrid fungus has been identified in introduced frogs in New Zealand and has been implicated in the decline of some native frog populations. The conservation status of Archey’s frog and Hamilton’s frog are classified as “Nationally Critical” – the same level of protection as the kakapo. With Hamilton’s frog numbers estimated at around just 300, the species is at risk of extinction. Currently they live in just a small area on Stephens Island that is fenced off to separate them from tuatara, a natural predator of the frogs. DOC staff are systematically moving them to nearby predator free islands. The Hochstetter numbers are higher due to conservation efforts in the Hunua Ranges around Auckland. They are the most widespread of the native frogs remaining in New Zealand and the only native frog found around Auckland. It is tiny (less than 5 centimetres long), well camouflaged and lives around stream edges. Advice from the experts state if people move from one frog habitat to another (or visit any off-shore islands) they should ensure that they thoroughly sterilise any equipment that may contain potentially contaminated mud, especially boots, camping gear and tripod feet. In addition, it is imperative that people refrain from releasing tadpoles or frogs into ponds other than those from which they were initially collected. Frogs hate change. Whilst all native New Zealand frogs are protected species (and therefore it is illegal to capture or keep them) the introduced species of frogs can make good pets – although once you have a pet frog, you should consider it a friend for life as some species may live more than 20 years in captivity!
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15 November 2005

Kiwi Colouring Competition

Competition winners Kendall Peterson, Katie Denholm and Danni Miller

Inspired perhaps by their close proximity to kiwi recovery at Pukaha Mount Bruce, Wairarapa school children have shown outstanding talent in a kiwi colouring in competition. 

Three of them will have their artworks rewarded at the Bank of New Zealand in Queen Street Masterton on Thursday, 24 November at 4pm.

Their artworks were the best of more than 200 entries in the Kiwi Colouring Competition, sponsored by the Bank of New Zealand to mark Kiwi Week last month.

The winners are: Danni Miller, aged 5, of Masterton in the five or under age group; Kendall Peterson, aged 7, of Carterton, in the six to nine age group; and Katie Denholm, aged 12, of Masterton, who won the 10 and over aged group.

The children win a family pass to Pukaha Mount Bruce along with Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery prize packs including t-shirts, caps and other goodies.

Lisa Hoswell, the branch manager at Bank of New Zealand, Masterton, says the judges were very impressed with the amount of effort the children put into the colouring of the kiwi.

“Obviously, there is a lot of interest in the Kiwi Recovery programme here in the Wairarapa with Pukaha Mount Bruce close by,” says Mrs Hoswell.

“This might be one reason for the 200 very high quality entries we received for the competition. Or perhaps it’s just because the children are very talented artists. Whatever the reason, it was a great result from all of the children who entered and the winners were thoroughly deserving of the prizes.”

Mrs Hoswell says the Bank of New Zealand sponsorship of the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust is a very significant commitment from the Bank of which all New Zealanders can be proud.

“What greater sponsorship commitment can you have than to support the preservation of your nation’s national icon?” she says.

“We hope the interest in the children’s colouring competition will encourage people to visit Pukaha Mount Bruce and the kiwi recovery website and take a greater interest in helping restore kiwi to the wild in significant numbers.”

Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery aims to keep kiwis alive in the wild by establishing effective and sustainable methods for conserving kiwis. BNZKRT is an independent trust and a partnership between Bank of New Zealand and the Department of Conservation.

To support the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust, the public can donate using their EFTPOS card at any Bank of New Zealand ATM machine or call 0900 SAVE KIWI (72835) to make an automatic $10 donation, or donate online at www.kiwirecovery.org.nz or at any Bank of New Zealand branch.

More about the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery here...
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Friday, 21 October 2005

Another kiwi chick arrives

The latest kiwi egg just before hatching.

The second kiwi chick conceived in the wild in over 100 years at Pukaha Mount Bruce hatched on

It is the offspring of Manu Tapu and Kopa Kopa which were released into the wild on 27 October 2004, after being transferred from their captive breeding home at Otorohanga Kiwi House. The birds were pairs before arriving at Pukaha Mount Bruce, and have remained together, not venturing far since their release, with Kopa Kopa laying her first ‘wild’ egg in a burrow within 100 metres of the Pukaha Mount Bruce visitor centre.

The egg was transferred to captivity just days before hatching to give it the best possible chance of survival. At this early stage of the programme, maximising survival to ensure the population grows quickly is a priority. The young kiwi is described as ‘quite a bit larger than the first kiwi chick to be conceived in the wild and with quite an attitude!’

DOC captive breeding ranger Darren Page has been closely monitoring the young chick and is delighted with its progress so far.

“To be involved in such an exciting project has been a career highlight. It’s very satisfying to know that one day these birds will be released into the forest and will help form a viable population.”

DOC Wairarapa area manager Derrick Field is thrilled with the way this year’s kiwi breeding season is shaping up and says he is looking forward to seeing the wild kiwi population increase in coming years.

“We have more releases planned soon and our vision, which is for people to be able to experience kiwi in the wild, will be realised sooner than we ever imagined possible.”

The first kiwi chick conceived in the wild, and incubated by Mr Kiwi hatched just three weeks earlier, on 27 September 2005. Another fertile kiwi egg found in Mr Kiwi’s burrow, will also be taken into captivity prior to hatching, bringing the wild kiwi chick population to three. A fourth fertile egg was also recently discovered in the kiwi nocturnal house – the offspring of captive birds Rangi and Tua - and will be released into the wild with the other kiwi chicks, bringing the total number of wild kiwi to 13.

All the chicks will be fitted with chick sized transmitters and their progress in the first critical weeks and months of life monitored closely in captivity by their adoptive (DOC) parents.

Kiwi chick number 2

The release of captive-reared kiwi into the wild in the southern North Island from where they became extinct over 100 years ago, was a first in the history of New Zealand. The discovery of a kiwi egg just months after the release, though infertile, marked another first.

Recent human introductions such as stoats, ferrets, cats and dogs have compounded the problem. Currently only 5 percent of all kiwi chicks hatched in the wild survive for longer than three months. This is not a high enough number of birds to sustain the population. Just 50,000 North Island brown kiwi remain - largely in the top two-thirds of the North Island - which classifies them as ‘nationally vulnerable.’

The Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust was established in November 2002 by the Bank of New Zealand and the Department of Conservation, building on a 12-year sponsorship relationship. The Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust is responsible for public awareness and education, fundraising, sponsorship and grant allocations for kiwi recovery nationally.
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29 September 2005

Kiwi chick first for the forest for a century

One of the new chicks get checked out

For the first time in over 100 years a kiwi chick conceived in the wild has hatched at Pukaha Mount Bruce.

The chick, which emerged from its shell yesterday, is the offspring of a male and female released into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest in northern Wairarapa in December 2003. It was part of the Pukaha Restoration Project - a co-operative venture between the Department of Conservation (DOC), the National Wildlife Centre Trust, Rangitaane O Wairarapa, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Horizons Regional Council to restore the dawn chorus to the forest.

Reintroducing endangered species into the forest, such as kiwi, kaka and kokako, has been made possible through funding support from sponsors for predator control. The project has been supported over the next five years by DB Breweries, Tranzit Coachlines, Oldfields group, Trust House Ltd and W N Pharazyn Estate Charitable Trust. Kiwi recovery work in New Zealand is co-ordinated by the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery programme, managed by the DOC.

The kiwi egg, discovered by captive breeding staff at the Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre 10 weeks ago, was the only fertile egg of three produced by the same female, DOC biodiversity programme manager Geoff Underwood said.

After its discovery, staff carefully monitored its progress and, just prior to hatching, transferred it to a rearing facility to ensure a safe arrival. Egg and chick survival can be improved by up to 25 percent in captivity compared to in the wild.

“At this early stage of the programme, we wanted to maximise survival to ensure the population grows quickly” Mr Underwood said.

A further fertile egg discovered in the wild will also be taken into captivity and placed inside incubators in preparation for it hatching within the next fortnight.

This successful hatching follows the recent hatching of a chick to Pukaha Mount Bruce captive parents Rangi and Tua.

Just after hatching

Mr Underwood said all the chicks would be fitted with chick sized transmitters and their progress in the first critical weeks and months of life monitored closely in captivity by their “adoptive” (DOC) parents.

“They will be released into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest when they are strong enough to fend for themselves,” he said.

The wild kiwi pairs at Pukaha were introduced to each other well before their release into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest, and their continued relationship does not appear to have been affected by their release. Mr Kiwi, transferred from Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch, was released into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest in December 2003. His mate is a female kiwi, also from Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, released on the same day as Mr Kiwi.

Manu Tapu has also stayed with his mate Kopa Kopa from Otorohanga Kiwi House. Manu Tapu and Kopa Kopa were released into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest on 27 October, 2004.

The release of captive-reared kiwi into the wild in the southern North Island from where they became extinct over 100 years ago, was a first in the history of New Zealand. The discovery of a kiwi egg just months after the release, though infertile, marked another first.

The fact that there are now two pairs breeding bodes well for the future of this ground-breaking conservation effort, Department of Conservation Wairarapa area manager Derrick Field said.

“We are pleased to see that kiwi can adapt to a wild forest environment when transferred from captive breeding institutions. The Pukaha Restoration Project has proven that species can return to the mainland if pests are controlled at low levels.”

National Wildlife Centre chairman, John Bunny said he was delighted with the result.

“This proves the decision to restore the forest was the correct one. It makes all the hard work by those involved worthwhile. The pest control was underpinned by the funding support from our sponsors, which has been critical in ensuring the project succeeds over the long term.”

His sentiments were shared by Masterton mayor Bob Francis, who was ecstatic when he heard the news.

“This is fantastic news – it’s wonderful to see the results of all of our efforts come to fruition. This occasion highlights what can be achieved when the community, sponsors and local and central government all pull together for a common cause.”

Kiwi are vulnerable to many introduced predators, particularly stoats, during the first seven months of their lives. After they hatch, kiwi chicks spend up to three days consuming the yolk from their eggs to prepare them for their departure from the nest. After day three, kiwi leave the nest and they’re on their own in the world. Not surprisingly, the first few months of a young kiwi’s life are fraught with any number of natural problems as it fights to survive.

Recent human introductions such as stoats, ferrets, cats and dogs have compounded the problem. Currently only 5 percent of all kiwi chicks hatched in the wild survive for longer than three months. This is not a high enough number of birds to sustain the population. Just 50,000 North Island brown kiwi remain - largely in the top two-thirds of the North Island - which classifies them as ‘nationally vulnerable.’

More about our kiwi captive breeding news here.........

Go to the BNZ Kiwi recovery website here...

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16 September 2005

More kokako for Pukaha

Students watch as a kokako is fed before release

The wild kokako population in the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest has become more genetically diverse with the arrival of seven more of these rare songbirds from the Mapara Wildlife Reserve in the Waikato over the past week.

The newcomers join kokako released into the forest from the Mangatutu ecological area in Waikato’s Pureora Forest Park over the past two years and their progeny, believed to number between 10 and 12 birds.

Department of Conservation kokako recovery group leader Rose Collen believes they will bring a greater generic diversity to the forest, avoiding a potential ‘genetic bottleneck’ and ensuring a healthy new population.

“These birds will go a long way to improving the viability of the kokako population and will be a tremendous boost to the current population.”

Department of Conservation Biodiversity ranger Tony Silbery said six of the newly-released birds were pairs and would hopefully remain as pairs and breed in the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest.

“So far, the birds are doing what we expect, exploring the reserve, before taking up a territory and settling down. It is difficult to estimate how long it will take before they start breeding, as it varies so much between birds.”

Since July 2003, nine birds have been transferred into the Pukaha forest from the Mangatutu ecological area along with two captive Pukaha Mount Bruce kokako which originated from Mangatutu. In February 2004, two kokako chicks were produced at Pukaha. It was the first time in over 60 years that kokako had bred in the wild in the Wairarapa.

Funding for this kokako transfer was provided through ‘Dawn Chorus’ – a fund that was started by the New Zealand National Parks and Conservation Foundation in an effort to attract a broader range of businesses into conservation sponsorship.

Executive director for New Zealand National Parks and Conservation Foundation Jane Arnott says that conservation sponsorship is the ‘poor cousin’ to many other forms of sponsorship.

“We have to work harder to attract funds and demonstrate that there is value in conservation. While New Zealanders love the outdoors and their sense of ’place’ is all about beaches, songbirds, native forests and our wilderness areas, translating this into funding streams is challenging,” says Jane.

Dawn Chorus accumulates sponsorship amounts of between $3000 to $5000 and current sponsors include Weta Workshop, Mitre 10, Pumpkin Patch, Treescape, Air New Zealand, Mainfreight, Enviromower, Waitiri Creek, Gibson Rusdent, PMP, Fulton Hogan and Fidelity Life.

The Pukaha restoration project, supported by local iwi, Rangitaane O Wairarapa, the National Wildlife Centre Trust and the Department of Conservation, is making it possible for kokako, kiwi and other endangered species to return to their former home. The 942ha Mt Bruce Scenic Reserve is criss-crossed by a network of trails that contain traps and bait stations needed to support the intensive pest control operation underway in the forest.

Greater Wellington Regional Council and Horizons Regional Council have also laid traps and bait stations within 3300 hectares of private land surrounding the Mount Bruce Scenic Reserve to create a buffer zone. Some neighbouring landowners are also supporting the project by undertaking pest control on their own land.
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5 September 2005

UK fundraiser raises over $13,500 to help rare New Zealand kokako

Janet Marshall's painting "kokako living on the edge"

A London auction of New Zealand art work has raised more than $14,000 to aid the recovery of a rare New Zealand songbird – the kokako.

Organised by Patrick Battersby, a New Zealand lawyer living in London, the August 6 auction attracted 120 people and over 50 works of art were sold. These included prints, paintings, photographs, jewellery and quilts. Janet Marshall’s painting Kokako living on the edge fetched the highest price of £600 ($NZ1550) and paintings commissioned by Christchurch artist Rae West - Huia love blooms and Huia flora - fetched £440 ($NZ1136) and £500 ($NZ1291) respectively.

Department of Conservation kokako recovery group leader Rose Collen, said the guests were impressed with the New Zealand artwork and the entertainment at the event, held in the London Wetland Centre.

“It was a great success,” she said.

Ms Collen gave “full credit” to the New Zealand artists for their contributions. Sixty-four items were donated, including prints, paintings and photographs, by
Rei Hamon, Awanui Hamon, Janet Marshall, Rae West, Rio Rossellini, Janine Whitelaw, Don Merton, Steve Moase, Paul Martinson, Rachel Collen, Rebecca Osborne, Bryan and Leslie Welch, Sarah King, John Collen, Andy Palmer, Tristan Tuckey, Fey Valient, Shona Drake, Merle Stevenson, Trevor Byron and Wendy Evans.

“Their contributions obviously made it happen,” Ms Collen said.

Rae West's "Huia love blooms"

“They were all enthusiastic and happy to donate to the cause and their artwork was of the highest standard. People in London were very impressed and some of the artwork was sold prior to the auction. It seems that some of the buyers didn’t want to miss out.”

Prior to the auction, guests were treated to a champagne reception, a tour of the wetland centre, a “stunning” performance by the Manaia Maori Performing Arts Company, which included a play about kokako, and a presentation by Rose Collen about the kokako and efforts going into kokako recovery.

Major sponsors of the event were Cathay Pacific Airways who transported the artwork safely to London for free, and NativeZ who donated native bird soft toys to the auction.
The proceeds will be used to subsidise several kokako recovery projects including translocations to boost small kokako populations in areas such as Boundary Stream in Hawke’s Bay, and the Hunua Ranges near Auckland. Some of the funds will also contribute towards the establishment of a viable wild population in the 942 hectare Pukaha Mount Bruce forest in eastern Wairarapa.

“Some of the funds will go towards the transfer of six pairs from the Mapara Wildlife Reserve in the Waikato to Pukaha Mount Bruce in September,” said Ms Collen.

“It will be a tremendous boost to the current population of between 10 and 12 birds.”

A population of 25 pairs is considered viable enough to sustain a few losses in a year and the aim is to get the Pukaha Mount Bruce population up to this level as soon as possible.

Ms Collen said bringing kokako from Mapara to Pukaha Mount Bruce will achieve a greater genetic diversity, avoiding a potential “genetic bottleneck” and ensuring a healthy new population.

Genetic bottlenecking happens when a population is reduced to very few individuals with similar genetic code, and can result in fertility and health problems in future generations.

The kokako currently in the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest originate from the Mangatutu ecological area in Waikato’s Pureora Forest Park, a stronghold of the species. Nine birds have been transferred from Mangatutu to Pukaha Mount Bruce since July 2003. Two captive Pukaha Mount Bruce kokako which originated from Mangatutu, were also released into the forest. The first breeding in the wild at Pukaha occurred in February 2004, with two kokako chicks produced.

Department of Conservation biodiversity ranger Tony Silbery said that a kokako population census will be carried out at Pukaha on 11 September, to confirm the exact numbers of kokako resident and to map their territories.

“We are planning for another summer of intensive monitoring which involves locating pairs and following birds to their nests so that we can determine the outcome of the breeding season.”

Kokako belongs to New Zealand’s unique wattlebird family (Callaeidae), an ancient group which includes the extinct huia and endangered saddleback. The New Zealand kokako is renowned for its hauntingly beautiful call and striking blue-grey feathering, a black “lone-ranger” mask and magnificent cobalt-blue wattles (ornamental folds of skin) below its beak. Forest clearance, by New Zealand’s early settlers, and the introduction of mammalian predators, such as rats, stoats and possums, caused the decline of this special bird. But the tide is turning thanks to intensive and sustained pest control.

Once widespread throughout the North Island, kokako disappeared from the lower North Island some 60 years ago. By 1990 fewer than 1000 birds remained, north of a line drawn from Taranaki to East Cape. Over the past 15 years, remaining populations of kokako have been closely studied to determine causes of decline. Management prescriptions have been developed and refined and, through their careful implementation, the national kokako population has begun to increase again over the past five years.

With intensive control of introduced mammalian predators - through poisoning and trapping at existing and new sites throughout the kokako’s former range - the population can continue to grow and eventually shrug off its threatened status.
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31 August 2005

More Campbell Island Teal return home

Ranger Raelene Berry with one of the teal ready for transfer

Following months of preparation, 33 Campbell Island teal, bred in captivity at Pukaha Moun t Bruce, set out today on their journey ‘home.’

In the second of three planned releases of the birds to Campbell Island – a world heritage site located 700 km southeast of the South Island – the Pukaha-bred teal went through their final checks this morning before being place inside custom-built transfer boxes for a journey by air, road and boat.

The birds will be joined by 22 other Campbell Island teal from Whenua Hou/Codfish Island to restore the Campbell Island population which had been wiped out by predators. The eradication of rats has enabled the return of teal to the island.

For several weeks leading up to the transfer, the captive breeding team at Pukaha Mount Bruce have been carrying out disease screening, vaccinations, attaching transmitters and checking them regularly to ensure that transmitters were a good fit, in preparation for this day.

Today, the birds will fly from Palmerston North to Invercargill, where they will be driven to Bluff to board the MV Clan Mcleod, which has been specifically fitted to hold the teal. The journey to Campbell Island from Bluff will take approximately 48 hours.

They will be accompanied on their journey by a Department of Conservation team and an Auckland Zoo vet.

This release will see the population on Campbell Island reach about 130 with a world wide population of less than 180. The boost to numbers will help ensure that the population becomes established quickly, resulting in a downgrading of their current ‘critically endangered’ status to ‘threatened species’ status.

The transfer took place just one year after last year’s event which saw 21 Campbell Island teal, bred in captivity at Pukaha Mount Bruce, make the trip to Campbell Island.

The teal were once presumed to be found in large numbers on the 11 300 ha Campbell Island, but the introduction of mammalian predators wiped out all of the teal on Campbell Island. Thought to be extinct, the teal were rediscovered in 1975 on predator-free Dent Island.

The Campbell Island teal recovery programme started in 1984 when a small number of birds were transferred to the Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre from Dent Island, a 26ha rock stack 3km west of Campbell Island in the sub-Antarctic. In 1997, a census carried out on Dent Island showed that the Campbell Island teal population had declined to dangerous levels with only three birds being found.

It took 10 years and a series of attempts at pairing birds, re-designing and purpose-building aviaries, creating ponds and planting vegetation, before “Donald” and “Daisy” finally produced two ducklings and remarkably, a further two in a second clutch of the season. This marked a significant occasion for the captive breeding programme and essentially secured the future for Campbell Island teal.

During 12 years in captivity, as the only breeding wild origin female, Daisy reared 24 ducklings which in turn produced another 39, securing the future of the species.

DOC programme manager Geoff Underwood believes that it was a pretty close call for Campbell Island teal.

“Whilst this is now a very successful breeding programme, that wasn’t always the case. It’s taken years of experience and trial and error, to develop the captive husbandry techniques necessary for breeding to occur. The Campbell Island teal breeding programme is a complex one and without the dedicated efforts of a number of people over several years, Campbell Island teal would probably be extinct right now.”

DOC Programme Manager Pete McLelland said the programme has exceeded his expectations.

“When the recovery plan was written by the Department of Conservation in 1993, with the ultimate aim of returning the species back to Campbell Island, it was never thought that it would be this soon.”

Two major internationally significant conservation projects have occurred on Campbell Island over the past five years – the world’s largest rat eradication programme – and returning the world’s rarest duck to its home after 200 years of absence.
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26 August 2005

Kiwi chicks soon to arrive at Pukaha Mount Bruce

9 year old Lucy Terry with one of the kiwi eggs.

The arrival of the first kiwi chicks to be produced in the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest in more than a century looks imminent.

This is providing that two fertile eggs found recently in the forest can be successfully incubated by their “dads” Manu Tapu and Mr Kiwi over the next month or so. The pair were among ten captive-bred kiwi released into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest over the past two years.

The first of the two fertile kiwi eggs, incubated by Mr Kiwi was found by biodiversity ranger Tony Silbery on the July 21 and the second was discovered in the nest of Manu Tapu in the second week of August. The first kiwi chick is expected to hatch between September 16 and 26 and the second approximately three weeks later.

The first fertile egg was one of two eggs discovered in a kiwi nest, just five metres off the main visitor walking track.

Mr Silbery said Mr Kiwi’s egg was “distinctly warmer to the touch” than an infertile egg also found in his nest and had a clearly visible small dark spot in the centre and a girdling of blood vessels just under the shell.

A visit in early August confirmed that the egg was fertile.

“The egg had obviously grown since our initial visit and we believe now that it is well past the halfway point in its incubation period. It is a real credit to the persistence of the male, who has been at this nest since the end of May, firstly on two infertile eggs and finally on this one.”

By the time this egg hatches Mr Kiwi will have spent nearly four months continuously sitting in the nest.

In contrast, the other nest yielded a fertile egg at the first attempt and Manu Tapu can look forward to the more normal 70 to 80 day incubation.

The kiwi pairs were introduced to each other well before their release into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest, and their continued relationship does not appear to have been affected by their release into the wild. Mr Kiwi, transferred from Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch, was released into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest in December 2003. His mate is a female kiwi, also from Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, released on the same day at Mr Kiwi.

Manu Tapu has also stayed with his mate Kopa Kopa from Otorohanga Kiwi House. Manu Tapu and Kopa Kopa were released into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest on October 27, 2004.

One lucky 9 year old on hand to see whats happening up close is Lucy Terry who was the recent winner in a competition run by 89.3 MoreFM and the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust. As part of her prize, Lucy and her family were invited to join DOC staff on an expedition to newly discovered kiwi nests to see how kiwi eggs are 'candled' (ie. checked for fertility).

The release of captive reared kiwi into the southern North Island from where they became extinct well over 100 years ago, was a first in the history of New Zealand. The discovery of a kiwi egg just months after the release, though infertile, marked another first. The fact that there are now two pairs attempting to breed bodes well for the future of this ground breaking conservation effort.

The Pukaha Restoration Project is a co-operative venture between the Department of Conservation, the National Wildlife Centre Trust, Rangitaane O Wairarapa, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Horizons Regional Council.

The restoration project has been supported by the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust, the Masterton and Tararua District councils, local media and a significant number of sponsors.

Masterton Mayor Bob Francis sees the news as a positive incentive to continue with the forest restoration fundraising effort. In late 2004, Mr Francis drove a successful fundraising campaign to raise money towards the ongoing restoration of the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest, culminating in an incredible $560,000 towards the Pukaha restoration project.

When advised of the news of the kiwi egg Mr Francis said “it’s great to hear that they are breeding and that the programme is working well. I believe that we are moving towards something exciting.”

National Wildlife Centre Trust Chairperson, John Bunny said “This is a significant achievement for Pukaha Mount Bruce. As with kaka and kokako before it, we have returned a species into an environment where it is completely at home. Our project of restoring the forest and the birds in it was the right decision, and we very pleased about that.”

Department of Conservation area manager Derrick Field believes that wild kiwi have a promising future at Pukaha Mount Bruce.

“We are pleased to see that kiwi can adapt to a wild forest environment when transferred from captive breeding institutions. The Pukaha Restoration Project has proven that species can return to the mainland if pests are controlled at low levels.”

Once hatched, these kiwi will be fitted with chick sized transmitters and their progress in the first critical weeks and months of life will be monitored closely by their “adoptive” (DOC) parents.

Kiwi are most vulnerable to many introduced predators, but particularly stoats, during the first seven months of their lives. After they hatch, kiwi chicks spend up to three days consuming the yolk from their eggs to prepare them for their departure from the nest. After day three, kiwi leave the nest and they’re on their own in the world. Not surprisingly, the first few months of a young kiwi’s life are fraught with any number of natural problems as it fights to survive.

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16 August 2005

Open day - Conservation week celebrated at Pukaha Mount Bruce

Ranger Tony Silbery demonstrating how a transmitter is attached to a wild kiwi on the smallest member of the audience.

Over 250 people descended upon Pukaha Mount Bruce on Sunday 14th August to enjoy a free

open day and to hear talks from Greater Wellington Regional Council and Department of Conservation staff.

The first speaker of the day, DOC ranger Tony Silbery talked about the positive impact that kaka, kokako and kiwi are having on the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest.

“The fact that these birds forest have stayed proves that the forest can sustain these populations, but we know that it’s capable of a lot more. What we’re doing here is putting in one thing and taking out another… you knock out the pests you don’t want to be there – and introduce the species you do want.”

Greater Wellington Regional Council’s land management officer Michelle Bird and environmental monitoring officer Raelene Hurndell discussed the importance of native plants along stream edges.

“If something happens in one part of an ecosystem, it has a flow-on effect to everything else. Plants do incredible things for stream and river ecosystems. They provide shade necessary for fish and insects, they keep the temperature cool and help maintain a consistent chemical balance. Another advantage of planting native trees along stream edges is the continual falling of leaves in the stream and long its banks, providing a food source for native fish and insects for 12 months of the year.”

A final DOC presentation from Tony Silbery at 11.30am demonstrated how wild kiwi, kaka and kokako are monitored in the wild using transmitters. The smallest member of the audience volunteered her wrist to demonstrate how transmitters are attached to the wild birds for tracking purposes.

Afternoon talks started at 1pm and covered the same topics as those discussed in the morning.
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5 August 2005

Wairarapa schools visit their adopted kiwi during Conservation Week

Ranger Tony Silbery with the students from local schools

A group of Wairarapa school children had a privileged encounter with one of their adopted wild kiwi at Pukaha Mount Bruce this week.

Students from seven schools participating in the Pukaha Adopt a Kiwi programme were thrilled to discover one of their charges when they were invited into the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest at a Conservation Week event on August 4. The nine resident kiwi have been released into the 942 hectare forest over the past three years and 10 Wairarapa schools were invited to adopt and name them and support the restoration of the 942 hectare forest.

The event was organised to celebrate the efforts of these schools in helping keep kiwi safe. Participants included pupils and their parents, and teachers from Pahiatua School, Rathkeale College, Carterton School, Douglas Park School, Martinborough School, St Matthews Collegiate School and St Patricks School.

The event began with a presentation by DOC ranger Tony Silbery who outlined where the kiwi had been and their condition since January 2005. Mr Silbery also demonstrated how transmitters are used to track and monitor the kiwi in the forest. This was followed by a walk in the forest to show the enthusiasts a wild kiwi sitting placidly in a burrow, just metres from the visitor track.

For most students, this was the first time they had ever seen a kiwi in the wild and it created much excitement. Douglas Park School pupil Hayley Morgan’s eyes were shining as she described what she’d seen:

“You could see the whole head and beak – the kiwi was wide awake. They’re very big, aren’t they?”

Most of the parents and teachers had also never seen a kiwi in the wild Parent Gavin Cornford was inspired by the visit.

“It’s wonderful to be amongst the bush and trees - even greater to see a kiwi in the wild. It’s very encouraging and motivating to hear what’s happening at Pukaha Mount Bruce.”

The group also visited the kiwi nocturnal house and had another close encounter with a North Island brown kiwi, which was foraging for food within 5cm from the group behind the glass window.

Tony Silbery has been involved with the Pukaha restoration project since it began in May 2002, and is pleased with the progress made by wild kiwi since their release.

“It’s great to have these kiwi nesting in burrows so close to their release sites. We were expecting them to move around a lot more after their release to get accustomed to their new surroundings. But most of them have stayed very close to the visitor centre.

“This is good news from a monitoring perspective, because health checks and transmitter changes can be done so much more quickly.”

The Pukaha restoration project is a co-operative venture between the Department of Conservation, the National Wildlife Centre Trust, Rangitaane O Wairarapa, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Horizons Regional Council, and has also seen kaka and kokako successfully reintroduced into the forest.

The restoration project is supported by the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust, the Masterton and Tararua District councils, local Masterton media and a significant number of sponsors. A major community fundraising campaign, the Community challenge - launched in July 2004 by Masterton mayor Mr Bob Francis, raised more than $550,000 towards the project.

The 10 Adopt a Kiwi schools were randomly selected in July 2004 to support the restoration of the forest and between them raised approximately $5000 towards the forest restoration project. Schools receive six-monthly updates that provide them with information about how their kiwi is progressing, and representatives were invited to October 2004 kiwi release event, which saw three North Island brown kiwi released into the wild.

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6 July 2005

London fundraiser will help a rare New Zealand bird

Ranger Rose Collen with one of the items to be auctioned

A New Zealand solicitor based in London is coming to the rescue of a rare and iconic New Zealand bird.

With help from other conservation enthusiasts, Patrick Battersby hopes to raise more than £10,000 ($NZ25,500) at a London auction of New Zealand wildlife artwork on August 6 to aid the recovery of kokako - a threatened New Zealand songbird, about the size of a jackdaw, with a hauntingly beautiful call and striking blue-grey feathering, a black “lone-ranger” mask and magnificent cobalt-blue wattles (fleshy growths) below its beak. Forest clearance, by New Zealand’s early settlers, and the introduction of mammalian predators, such as rats, stoats and possums, caused the decline of this special bird. But the tide is turning thanks to intensive and sustained pest control.

More than 100 people are expected to rally to the aid of kokako by buying tickets to the fundraiser, being held at the London Wetland Centre. As well as the opportunity to buy the works of renowned New Zealand artists, they will also enjoy a champagne reception, guided tour of the wetland centre, a traditional Maori welcome by the Manaia Maori Performing Arts Company, barbeque and drinks, and an audio visual presentation showcasing kokako.

New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) and Forest and Bird are supporting the event, which is a sequel to a successful fundraiser held in 2003. At that event more than 100 people raised more than £7000 (NZ $19,000) towards kokako recovery.

Kokako recovery group leader Rose Collen, who will present the audio-visual show at this year’s fundraiser, says these events make a big difference to kokako projects.

“The money raised at the 2003 event was a fantastic boost to the kokako recovery programme, enabling us to successfully establish a new population of kokako at Pukaha Mount Bruce (a primaeval 942 hectare native forest about one and a half hours drive north of Wellington in the lower North Island). We were also able to begin intensive efforts to save kokako at Puketi Forest in Northland.

“With funds raised at the 2005 event, we will continue to return kokako to areas in New Zealand from where they have been lost. A further transfer of birds to Pukaha Mount Bruce will help reduce any risk of inbreeding and ensure a more rapid start for this population.”

Well-known New Zealand artist Rei Hamon and his son Awanui Hamon donated artwork for the 2003 event, including one original painting which sold for a massive £2300 (NZ $6000). Renowned Nelson artist Janet Marshall, who paints native New Zealand flora and fauna, also donated. This year, Awanui Hamon and Janet Marshall have confirmed that they will once again support this event by supplying prints. Other contributing artists this year are Paul Martinson and Rebecca Osborne from Wairarapa; Andy Palmer, Fey Valiant, Merle Stevenson, Lydia Crysell and John Collen from Wellington; Rachel Collen from Kapiti; Tristan Tuckey, Steve Moase and Janine Whitelaw from Northland; Rio Rossellini from Kaikoura; and Rae West from Christchurch. Soft toy producers NativeZ are donating New Zealand bird soft toys. Don Merton - the recently-retired DOC scientist who is internationally-renowned as a manager of endangered species – has donated some of his photography.

Mr Battersby hopes that this year’s event will help to achieve the goals of the kokako restoration project, in particular the maintenance of distinct genetic populations in Taranaki and Puketi.

“I recall kokako from my early days and the fight to protect them in the forest at Pureora (where the birds were holding out). Conservationist Steven King climbed into trees to stop the chainsaws, raising public awareness of the plight of our forests and their inhabitants.”

Kokako belongs to New Zealand’s unique wattlebird family (Callaeidae), an ancient group which includes the extinct huia and endangered saddleback.

“The extinction of the huia, in the 1900s was a great tragedy, but the revival of saddleback is heartening, and success with kokako will give inspiration to achieve other successes,” says Mr Battersby.

Once widespread throughout the North Island, kokako disappeared from the lower North Island some 60 years ago. By 1990 fewer than 1000 birds remained, north of a line drawn from Taranaki to East Cape. Over the past 15 years, remaining populations of kokako have been closely studied to determine causes of decline. Management prescriptions have been developed and refined and, through their careful implementation, the national kokako population has begun to increase again over the past five years.

With intensive control of introduced mammalian predators - through poisoning and trapping at existing and new sites throughout the kokako’s former range - the population can continue to grow and eventually shrug off its threatened status.

Tickets for the fundraiser are just £55. For further information about the Kokako II fundraising event, please contact Rose Collen at the Department of Conservation on (06)375 8004 or email rcollen@doc.govt.nz or for tickets contact Patrick Battersby on email patrick@daviesbattersby.com

Further more information contact Geoff Underwood (06)375 8004

To find out more about kokako check out this website link: www.kokakorecovery.org.nz
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4 July 2005

Wildly Exciting School Holidays

Some of the Wild Creations

Pukaha Mount Bruce is again inviting the children of the region to participate in activities at the Wildlife Centre during the school holidays from Monday 11th July to Friday 22nd July.

Between 11.30am and 2pm every day of the holidays, children will be making wild and wonderful creations and seeing the giant eels being fed.

Last year’s school holiday programme at Pukaha Mount Bruce saw droves of children of all ages make wildlife creations such as pukekos, tuatara and kiwis. These had all been magically constructed out of driftwood, pipe cleaners, wool, coloured paper and an assortment of other materials.

Staff at Pukaha Mount Bruce were thrilled to see so many children and their parents having such enjoyment. “One of our goals in establishing this school holiday programme was to offer an interactive experience where children had fun and learnt something from their time here. We seem to have achieved this as feedback from the survey we ran last time was extremely positive and the majority of people asked when we were planning to run the programme again” says Visitor Service Manager, Kathy Houkamau.

“We really enjoy being able to offer a unique programme to the local community and giving families an opportunity to do something positive in the school holidays” says DOC Ranger Pam Basher. “We’re really looking forward to delivering a quality programme again, but with a difference this time.”

Admissions for participating children is just $10 per child and includes lunch for the children. For safety reasons, a ratio of one adult for every four children is stipulated. There is also a $4 admission charge for accompanying adults.

For further information about this initiative, please contact the Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre on (06)375 8004 or email info@mtbruce.org.nz
More about the holiday programme here...

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28 June 2005

Pukaha Mount Bruce breaking new ground

MIVIS director Dave Smith helping DOC telecommunications leader Bruce and Jenny McLachlan to download audio clips about Pukaha Mount Bruce

Three entrepreneurs, a popular tourism destination, an historic forest, some of New Zealand’s most rare and endangered species and a cell phone…. this is the magic formula that has the makings of a world-wide shift in the way tourists travel through New Zealand.

John Bebarfald is the Project Manager of a leading edge feasibility study that uses cell (camera) phone technology to provide visitors with location-based information at the touch of a button. Users simply point the camera phone at a bar code which then converts the information into an audio file and is conveyed to the visitor as a visual image and voice recording.

Pukaha Mount Bruce is the first visitor attraction to trial this technology and has been testing its viability with a number of staff and visitors since 1st June 2005. Visitors have been randomly selected to participate in the trial, which simply involves pointing a cell phone at bar codes placed in key locations around the walking track and listening to the one-minute long audio recordings.

New Zealand’s Tourist Research Institute has designed a survey specifically to measure