Category: Department of Conservation

Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  28 November 2023

“This rat eradication has been a long time coming,” Palmerston’s Executive Officer Arthur Neale says.

“Rats have been a problem on this atoll for over a century – destroying wildlife and eating crops – and the problem could become even worse by making us less resilient to climate change impacts.”

Arthur says the Palmerston community took the initiative and requested, with the support of Cook Island Government agencies and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), a survey of natural resources on the island.

“The survey proved that our rat situation was grim. But there was an exciting key finding in the report – we could eradicate rats from our atoll and hopefully seabirds and other wildlife would return.”

From there, a partnership to eradicate introduced ship rats (Rattus rattus) and Pacific rats (Rattus exulans) from Palmerston was set up between the New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC), the Palmerston Atoll community, the Cook Island’s National Environment Service and Ministry of Agriculture, and the local NGO, Te Ipukarea Society.

Following consultation with Palmerston’s community and a feasibility study in 2022, the eradication operation kicked off in mid-August 2023. The work took six weeks, covering Palmerston Atoll’s Home Islet, which has around 30 inhabitants, and the uninhabited Cooks Islet. Four and a half tonnes of rat bait was distributed across 70 hectares in three applications.

Arthur Neale says the community did a lot of preparation to ensure the success of the operation.

“We couldn’t have any food available for the rats – the bait had to be the only option for rats to eat. Households had to ensure their kitchen wastewater drainage systems were completely sealed. Most of us had to completely renew our kitchen wastewater drainage system.

“Some of us cleared bush areas, removed sugar cane from our gardens and removed any fruits from fruit trees and stopped growing vegetables known to be eaten by rats, such as cucumbers.

“Freezers were used for food storage. People had to put their food scraps in sealed containers. Household rubbish was placed in covered sealed bins for weekly collection to be incinerated by the Island Administration staff.

“We had to cull some of our livestock chickens and pigs as they might eat the toxic bait. Some households moved some of their livestock to other islets where they were penned. Contained sealed food scraps were collected for feed for chickens and pigs on the islets.”

DOC’s Em Oyston was the project team leader and one of three DOC National Eradication Team members on the ground for the operation. The team has international expertise in island eradications and works for New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 Programme.

“Everyone on the atoll was part of the team and had a role to play for the eradication to work. We were thorough and worked together because even a single female rat left alive could mean failure for the whole operation,” Em says.

Tropical environments like Palmerston Atoll can have over 200 rats per hectare as they breed year-round in warmer, more productive environments.

Three applications of bait were spread by hand across the two islets to achieve comprehensive coverage. This equated to more than 2220 baiting points on the ground.

In addition, over 116 buildings on Home Islet (from sheds to family homes and municipal buildings) were baited with at least one bait tray in every room, plus baiting underfloor and in the ceiling cavity.

Ensuring no rodents arrive on vessels or cargo is key to the long-term success of the project.

Arthur Neale says: “Even though the operation is over, the work to keep rats off the atoll has just started. This will require working with vessels from Rarotonga that come with people, food supplies and other cargo. We’ll check vessels offshore for rats and any other pest that threatens our biosecurity.”

The biosecurity infrastructure has been installed, including detection devices and traps in case a rodent makes it onto land. If a rodent is detected, DNA samples of the original population are held to assess if it was a survivor of the eradication attempt or a new arrival.

The Cook Islands’ National Environment Service (NES) Biodiversity Coordinator Jessie Nicholson says NES is proud of the hard work and sacrifice each community member in Palmerston made to ensure a successful rat eradication.

“This operation has pioneered the way for future rat eradications on inhabited islands in the Cook Islands. We thank those involved in the project, since its inception, to turn this vision of a rat-free Palmerston into a reality.”

The community have been monitoring for the presence of rats since the field team departed. Project partners will assess the operation’s results in April 2024 to determine whether the island can be officially declared rat free.

Background information

This work is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and is delivered through the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS).

The New Zealand Department of Conservation, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and Manaaki Whenua have joined forces to support Pacific Island Countries and Territories to build resilience to climate change by taking stronger action against invasive species.

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  28 November 2023

Following a review of bird activity, DOC, Ngāi Tahu and Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari made the call to temporarily decrease the population at the Waikato fenced sanctuary from ten to seven birds while they develop a less labour-intensive monitoring solution.

The decision comes after the allure of the fence has proven too strong for some of the famously curious parrots, with three finding a way over it in the past two months. One kākāpō, Motupohue, who was part of the first cohort transferred in July, found his way out twice in quick succession, suggesting a behavioural component. He was relocated back to a southern predator-free island last week, along with Manawanui and Kanawera, who have not breached the fence but created a high monitoring workload by spending a lot of time near it.

DOC Operations Manager for Kākāpō Deidre Vercoe says departures from the fenced sanctuary were an expected challenge of the trial, and four in six weeks has meant an increase in monitoring was needed at a time where monitoring was expected to be significantly decreasing.

Reducing the population means staff can keep closer tabs on the nocturnal, ground-dwelling parrots while still preserving the integrity of the trial.

“The kākāpō wear transmitters and are regularly monitored by rangers, but there are some limitations with the technology – tracking their exact whereabouts can be very labour intensive and is made more difficult by terrain and weather.”

The manu are otherwise doing well within the sanctuary, Deidre says.

“All kākāpō are in good condition, passing their health checks and exploring their new territory. It’s just some of them are very interested in the fence. It could be an age thing, or a behavioural thing; we just don’t know yet.

“But that is the purpose of a trial – to prepare, watch, learn and adapt as needed and taking risks is part of that.”

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kākāpō Species Representative Tāne Davis says Ngāi Tahu has worked closely with ngā iwi ki Maungatautari who jointly made the decision to return the three kākāpō to their kāinga (home) in Fiordland.

“Our curious taonga will always test us. We have learnt a lot since the manu were first released on Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in July and I know they will continue to teach us more as they adapt to life on the mainland. These learnings are crucial if we want kākāpō to thrive within our communities and backyards in the decades to come.”

Using vegetation remains the leading theory for how the kākāpō are departing the sanctuary. Vegetation was cleared before the transfer and is ongoing.

The trial is reinforcing why we should never underestimate a kākāpō, Deidre says.

Kākāpō are flightless, and are excellent climbers that can use their wings to “parachute” from treetops. The average canopy height at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is higher than in the southern islands; taller trees mean greater “parachuting” distances.

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari General Manager Helen Somerville says their ranger team have done an outstanding job with both monitoring the birds and vegetation clearing.

“We are learning just how clever these manu are. By now we expected the hands-on monitoring to have begun to reduce, however this hasn’t been possible and the team is traversing our incredible sanctuary every day checking on bird locations, and this method is simply not sustainable.”

Deidre says having kākāpō in a fenced sanctuary has never been done before.

“With the southern predator-free islands reaching capacity, it is vital to investigate alternative habitats ahead of future breeding seasons, so we continue to be committed to this trial.

“One of our ultimate goals is to have large numbers of kākāpō exploring their former range – wild and free, and places like Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari are an important stepping stone for kākāpō in the meantime.”

“As with any trial there is always an element of risk, but to secure their future, we need to push the boundaries. Kākāpō have come back from the very brink of extinction to a population of just under 250 birds, but without new, safe, predator-free habitat, we won’t be able to help them continue to grow.”

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  28 November 2023

From early September to the end of January, threatened native birds like ngutu pare/wrybill, tūturiwhatu/banded dotterel, and tarāpuka/black-billed gull breed in the dynamic South Island braided rivers like the Ashley River/Rakahuri.

The Department of Conservation (DOC), Environment Canterbury, and Waimakariri District Council work together, alongside the community and other authorities, to manage the impacts of vehicles and other recreationists on the riverbed during nesting season.

DOC North Canterbury Operations Manager Leeann Ellis says these birds evolved to nest in the open river gravel and relied on camouflage to keep them safe from the native birds of prey, which were their only predators until introduced mammals arrived. This means they are vulnerable to disturbance and difficult for river users to spot.

“We know there are three sites with nesting birds in the upper stretch of the river (above the Okuku River confluence), which is managed by DOC, and we’re asking drivers to please stay out of the riverbed during nesting season.

“In past years, a large number of vehicles have gathered on the Ashley River/Rakahuri for Crate Day and we’re calling for people to go somewhere other than riverbeds if they must participate in Crate Day, or just wait until the nesting season is over in February.”

Leeann Ellis says DOC is asking people to be responsible this year but if there are issues, we will need to look at options like blocking access or introducing bylaws prohibiting driving on the river at certain times of year.

“These native species are also fully protected and it’s illegal to harm or kill them. Anyone found doing so could face a significant fine or even jail time.”

The Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group (ARRG) formed in 1999 to protect riverbed birds and their habitat. They run an extensive trapping network, undertake community education and advocacy for the birds, weeding islands and monitoring and banding returning birds and new chicks.

ARRG’s Judith Hughey says four-wheel-drive vehicles affect the survival chances of endangered braided river birds, and the group would be disappointed if vehicles gathered on the river for Crate Day again.

“Fast, noisy and aggressively driven vehicles can cause birds to abandon nests, kill chicks, smash eggs and leak contaminants in the river which could render the riverbed, shallows and the river itself unliveable for larvae, insects and small fish that birds rely on for their daily food.”

The group works with Environment Canterbury, who have dedicated rangers monitoring the Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park area, to protect the part of the river that runs from the confluence of the Okuku River to the Ashley Rakahuri Estuary. Environment Canterbury and the ARRG install signage to inform park visitors about nesting birds. In the lead-up to nesting season, the organisations work together to install up to 150 concrete blocks at river access points to deter vehicles from driving on the riverbed.

“We have been pleased with how the vast majority of park visitors respect the nesting birds in areas downstream of the Okuku,” says Parks and Forests Manager Chuck Dowdell. “It’s now time to recognise the wider spread of nesting birds along the river and keep clear of all our braided rivers during nesting season.”

Waimakariri District Council manage the campsite and picnic reserve at Ashley Gorge. Greenspace Manager Grant MacLeod says the council are concerned about drunk drivers unsafely driving past families picnicking and swimming at the gorge on Crate Day.

“This is a popular site and for visitors’ safety, there’s no access for unauthorised vehicles to get onto or off the river at the reserve.”

Police will have a presence on the Ashley River/Rakahuri on Crate Day and are reminding drivers not to get behind the wheel after drinking, whether on the road or off.

Combined 4WD Club Chair Mike Sheppard says it’s been disappointing to see some four-wheel-drivers behaving poorly in previous years as it reflects badly on responsible drivers.

“The club promotes responsible four-wheel-driving and works with land managers around access for their members and maintenance of tracks and facilities, and anti-social behaviour from drivers puts all of this at risk.”

Braided rivers are an iconic feature of the South Island landscape. They are dynamic, globally rare rivers characterised by their many braids which change course regularly after weather events.

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  23 November 2023

The release of the lizards in the Southern Alps came just a few days before the man responsible for their long stint in unpermitted captivity appeared for sentencing in the Palmerston North District Court.

Halcombe man Richard Brosnan faced two representative charges under the Wildlife Act relating to the unauthorised holding of 63 geckos and skinks – from 11 different species – and the case taken by DOC culminated today when he was fined $7000. The fine will be paid to DOC.

The majority of the animals DOC seized have been rehomed with authorised keepers across the country, as they couldn’t be released to the wild after being held in captivity for a long time.

Matt Davis, DOC Principal Investigations Officer, says DOC became aware of Brosnan’s unauthorised keeping and trading of the animals through a series of Facebook posts.

In November 2022, DOC executed a search warrant at a residential address where Brosnan was living, and discovered several cages in which he was keeping the animals.

In an interview with DOC investigators, Brosnan claimed he had been authorised to keep lizards by the Wildlife Service – a government entity which ceased to exist after the creation of DOC in 1987. However, he couldn’t provide a copy of the permit, and DOC staff could not find any record of it despite extensive efforts searching archives.

Matt says DOC had authorised Brosnan to keep Grand and Otago skinks but those authorisations expired in 2013 and 2016. He did not apply to renew them, and when DOC investigated in 2022, he was not authorised to keep any of the 11 species he had in captivity.

“Mr Brosnan knew from his previous experience what his obligations and responsibilities were – and he continued keeping lizards despite not holding the relevant permit.

“For DOC, that is unacceptable, and it motivated us to take action which has led to today’s court hearing – an outcome which could’ve been avoided.”

DOC’s investigation resulted in good information about where the three West Coast green geckos (Naultinus tuberculatus) had came from, and how long they had been in captivity, so they were able to be returned to their natural habitat.

The effort to recover the three geckos returned to to the South Island was supported by Wildbase (Massey University), where staff played a crucial role in care for the animals, including surgery to remove infertile eggs from the three West Coast green gecko.

Air New Zealand supported the release of the geckos by flying them south from Palmerston North to Christchurch for the translocation.

“We were really pleased to put these precious animals back into their natural habitat. It’s a small but important win for conservation, and for the species.”

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  22 November 2023

The new 7.5-metre Osprey boat has capacity for 12 passengers and replaces a 6.5-metre vessel. It has more capability, including with use of remotely-operated underwater monitoring equipment and being a purpose-built dive platform. It also has radar and search lights for operating at night.

Mana whenua iwi have blessed and named the new boat Aorere, reflecting its area of operation, Te Tai-o-Aorere/Tasman Bay. The boat is locally made, being custom-designed and built by Osprey Boat Builders in Nelson and fitted out by Mārahau Marine Services.

Aorere will primarily be used for patrolling to check for illegal fishing in Tonga Island Marine Reserve, off Abel Tasman National Park, and Horoirangi Marine Reserve, north of Nelson city. It will also be used for scientific monitoring of the reserves’ ecosystems and other DOC marine-related work.

DOC Motueka Marine Reserves Ranger Stew Robertson says the new boat, with its advanced capability for supporting marine reserves work, is a fitting way to mark Tonga Island Marine Reserve turning 30.

“Both Tonga Island and Horoirangi marine reserves enable amazing experiences of marine life in abundance in their natural habitat. We encourage people to go and enjoy the reserves through diving, snorkelling, swimming and boating.

“Marine reserves act as control sites for studying the health of the wider marine environment. Monitoring of marine reserves and fished areas outside reserves shows changes in the protected area in comparison to the unprotected area, including in species abundance and diversity, and climate change impacts.

“In Tonga Island Marine Reserve in particular, after 30 years with no fishing, many marine species are significantly more abundant and larger inside the reserve, including crayfish and blue cod. These marine species can then overspill from the reserve into surrounding areas.

“It’s important people abide by marine reserve rules to protect these marine refuges. No taking, harassing or damaging of marine life is allowed.

“People going fishing near marine reserves must make sure they know where the reserve boundaries are and stay well outside them. Boats accidentally drifting into a reserve is not a valid excuse. Inside marine reserves, stow fishing gear away so it’s clear that no fishing is taking place.

“If anyone sees people illegally fishing in marine reserves, they are asked to:

• call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).

We ask people, if they can, to get photos and details of people and vessels involved and when and where it occurred.”

Anyone who illegally fishes in a marine reserve can be issued a $600 infringement notice fine. Serious or repeat breaking of the rules may result in those involved being prosecuted and facing penalties of up to a $10,000 fine and three months in prison. Fishing gear used in the offending may be forfeited.

Events are taking place over summer to celebrate Tonga Island Marine Reserve’s 30th anniversary, including guided snorkel trips with Tasman Bay Guardians, and a mural depicting the marine reserve being painted on the toilet block by the Kaiteriteri boat ramp.

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  22 November 2023

The whale was seen by a private helicopter company at the entrance of Doubtless Bay with a line tangled around its tail. It was seen with a larger humpback whale which did not appear to be entangled.

Since the confirmed sighting last Wednesday, DOC’s disentanglement team have led extensive land, sea, and sky searches for the whale without success.

Dr Cat Peters, Whale Disentanglement Team Lead at DOC, says the current priority is to locate the whale and assess the situation.

“From initial sightings we believe the pectoral fins and head of the whale to be free from entanglement, which means it would be able to breathe and therefore survive for a while – perhaps weeks or months – with the line around it. That being said, we want to work to eliminate its distress as soon as possible.

“I believe the whale could easily be anywhere from Doubtless Bay in the North to as far south as Auckland. We are asking people to keep an eye out for it from land, sea, or air.”

Anyone who sees the entangled whale should:

• call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468)

No one should attempt to cut the whale free themselves as this is very dangerous. Boaties spotting the whale should not get close to it or do anything that would disturb or harass the whale.

DOC leads teams trained in disentangling whales using specialised equipment, and these trained personnel will attempt to disentangle the whale when found.

“People seeing the whale can assist our rescue response by staying with the whale, monitoring it, taking photos or video, and advising of its exact location for our disentanglement team to get to it.”

“The whale will likely be in some distress, but it is moving and is not any immediate danger so urgent action, rather than waiting for the team to arrive, isn’t required. The priority is people’s safety and ensuring disentanglement is carried out safely by our trained team.”

Attempts to cut free entangled whales are only carried out when it is safe to do so. For safety, it requires sea conditions not being too rough and sufficient daylight hours, as the procedures can take several hours and it’s not safe to disentangle whales in darkness.

The whale disentanglement team initially fully assesses the situation to determine the safest and most appropriate course of action for attempting to cut free entangled whales. Having an exact location for an entangled whale assists the whale disentanglement team in getting to the whale as soon as it is possible to do so.

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  21 November 2023

Wallabies are an unwelcome introduced pest in New Zealand, threatening the environment, biodiversity, and economy in Canterbury, North Otago and Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty.

South Westland Operations Manager Wayne Costello says there have been two reported wallaby sightings on the West Coast in recent months. Both were made by people travelling State Highway 6 south of Knights Point.

“These are the first serious wallaby sightings we’ve had on the Coast. It’s a concern as wallabies are capable of causing significant environmental damage. In native forests they eat seedlings and graze the understory, changing the structure of the forest, which destroys the homes and food of our native wildlife.”

The most recent report was made by someone who had experience with wallabies in Australia, he says.

“The community is key to preventing wallabies establishing a foothold on the West Coast. As wallabies are nocturnal, we want anyone travelling at night in the Knights Point area to keep an eye out and report any sightings.

The most common wallaby in the South Island, the Bennett’s wallaby, stands up to 80cm tall and weighs 14kg to 20kg. Their droppings are about 20mm long and tend to be pear-shaped, although this can vary. More information is available online at Ministry for Primary Industries.” 

Wayne Costello says the only way wallabies could have got to the Coast is by people bringing them in.

It’s illegal to have, hold, move or transport wallabies without a permit. Anyone who breaches this law can face up to five years in prison and/or be fined up to $100,000.

Biosecurity New Zealand’s Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme is working alongside DOC providing operational and technical advice.

Any sightings or signs of wallabies anywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand should be reported to Biosecurity New Zealand. This can be done online at Report Wallabies.

More information

Five species of wallaby were introduced to Aotearoa New Zealand from Australia in the 1800s mainly for hunting and private zoos. They do not have natural predators in this country and have adapted well.

Wallabies can breed and spread quickly. Without action, it is estimated pest wallabies could inhabit up to one-third of Aotearoa New Zealand within 50 years.

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  20 November 2023

Sometime between 1 and 3 November, an adult variable oystercatchers/tōrea pango was shot and killed by someone using an air rifle on or near Pouawa Beach, about 18 km northeast of Gisborne.

The bird’s death was reported to DOC by a camper, who was walking on the beach when they found it. It was picked up by a DOC staff member and sent to Massey University for a postmortem as there was no visible wounds on the bird.

Following x-ray, two pellets from an air rifle were found to be the cause of death.

A second bird was picked up the following day, and although a post-mortem wasn’t undertaken, DOC staff believe it was shot and killed in the same interaction.

It is an offence under the Wildlife Act to hunt or kill any absolutely protected wildlife, with maximum penalties of two years imprisonment, fines up to $100,000, or both.

Zachary Penman, DOC Ranger Biodiversity and Compliance Officer, says the actions are inexcusable.

“It’s hard to understand why someone would do this,” says Zachary.

“Variable oystercatchers are a taonga species of Aotearoa, and usually live up to 30 years. They will often inhabit the same area of beach for their whole lives.

“Local campers in Pouawa would see these birds every year and welcome their company. To them, and many in the community, it’s like losing a friend.”

If anyone has any further information regarding this shooting, or any other information on crimes against wildlife, please call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) or contact the Gisborne DOC office and ask for the warranted officer on duty.

Background information

The variable oystercatcher is a large, heavily-built shorebird with conservation status of ‘At Risk, Recovering’.

Variable oystercatcher occur around most of the coastline of New Zealand, and breed most commonly on sandy beaches, sandspits and in dunes.

They are very vocal; loud piping is used in territorial interactions and when alarmed. Chicks are warned of danger with a sharp, loud ‘chip’ or ‘click’.

Adults have black upperparts, their underparts vary from all black, through a range of ‘smudgy’ intermediate states to white. They have a conspicuous long bright orange bill (longer in females), and stout coral-pink legs; their eyes have a red iris and the eye-ring is orange.

They breed in monogamous pairs and defend territories vigorously against neighbours. Nests are normally simple scrapes in the sand and the 2–3 eggs are laid from October onwards. Incubation is shared and takes about 28 days.

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  20 November 2023

Stoats and possums are the key threat to this large forest parrot, with females and chicks the prime targets during nesting when they stay in tree cavities for long periods. Over time, this leads to a male-skewed and declining population.

Surveys for kākā in the Eglinton over the past few years show a thriving population with good numbers of female and juvenile birds, says Department of Conservation Science Advisor Terry Greene.

“The large numbers of kākā we’ve seen and caught in the Eglinton since 2019 clearly show the population is healthy.

“This is a direct result of the long-term predator control, as well as several good breeding seasons following beech seeding events in 2019 and 2023, providing plentiful food.

“It’s really pleasing to see the increase in female kākā, which are now close to parity with males.”

Kākā are often heard but are hard to observe high in the forest. They are surveyed by catching a sample of birds and measuring their beak length, which indicates their sex (males have larger beaks).

During surveys in 2019, 2021 and 2023 a total of 105 kākā were caught, more than 30% of which were juveniles.

Overall, the ratio of females to males was 1:1.3 (43% female and 57% male). In areas without predator control males have outnumbered females as much as five to one.

There have also been lots of comments from tourists about seeing kākā in the area, Terry says.

The Eglinton is one of the most accessible valleys in Fiordland National Park with State Highway 94 to Milford Sound running most of its length.

While they are capable flyers, kākā tend to stay in an area of about 50 ha, although they will move to follow seasonal food sources such as the flowering of tree fushia at The Divide near the head of the Hollyford valley.

There are other strongholds for South Island kākā in areas with sustained predator control including Waitutu Forest in Fiordland, South Westland and Kahurangi as well as stoat and possum-free Fiordland islands.

DOC has been undertaking large-scale predator control in the Eglinton valley for the past 30 years. This includes extensive trapping, use of ground-based toxins and aerial 1080 operations when rodent numbers spike after beech mast (seeding) events (most recently last summer).

Predator control is also benefiting other native species such as long-tailed and short-tailed bats/pekapeka, mohua/yellowhead and tuke/rockwren.

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