A section of the track between Heaphy and MacKay huts has been closed since storms in February 2022 caused severe damage, including the loss of three bridges, most significantly the Heaphy River bridge.
DOC is organising events tomorrow (19 October 2023) to mark the reopening and thank local communities affected by the closure for their patience while the track was partially closed.
DOC Buller Operations Manager Suvi Van Smit says DOC has been very mindful of the impact the closure has had on the communities at both ends of the 82-kilometre track.
“The Heaphy Track is an important asset for Karamea, the West Coast and Golden Bay.
“The quickest most straightforward solution for replacing the Heaphy Bridge may have been to use the same design at the same place but we but had to ensure that whatever solution was put in place it would endure and this took time.”
A hydrology report found a new Heaphy Bridge at the old site could soon be threatened by future flooding.
The most resilient solution turned out to be to build two bridges, one across the Heaphy River downstream from the previous bridge, the other over the Lewis River with a small section of new track in between.
The new Heaphy Bridge is well above the 100-year climate change adjusted flood level, Suvi van Smit says.
“I want to pay tribute to the outstanding work done to get us to here – to all the DOC staff involved from dealing with the initial response to the storm damage through to where we are now with the Heaphy re-bridged and to Abseil Access and Westreef for the work they’ve done.”
The day will start with Ngāti Waewae blessing the new bridge across the Heaphy River.
This will be followed by a community planting and morning tea at Kohaihai plus a ribbon cutting at the Kohaihai River Bridge which marks the start/end of the track on the West Coast side.
The event will then shift to the Karamea Pulse Energy Centre for presentations on the reconstruction work, the significance of the area to Ngāti Waewae and the history of the track.
Suvi van Smit says over 11,600 bednights have already been booked for track huts between 19 October and the end of June next year.
“It’s clear the word is out that this legendary Great Walk is fully open for business again Here’s hoping for a great summer for people to make the most of the Heaphy and everything else that Karamea and Golden Bay have to offer.”
More information
Until mid-December, when construction of the Lewis River bridge is finished, it will be necessary to ford the Lewis River. In normal flow, this is an ankle-height crossing of approximately 20 metres.
During this time, DOC rangers will be onsite to assess river conditions and provide guidance to track users. If the river becomes unsafe to cross, DOC staff will advise track users that it’s not safe to cross.
Four-year-old Tautahi, who was safely returned to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari last week, is believed to have used a downed tree to boost himself over the fence and out onto the neighbouring farmland.
GPS data shows he spent time investigating the fence line, before heading on a hīkoi towards a farm block on the south-east corner of the mountain where he was intercepted by one of the ranger team.
Department of Conservation (DOC) Operations Manager for kākāpō, Deidre Vercoe, says the experience is a good learning opportunity for the trial population.
“Kākāpō have never lived in a fenced sanctuary before, and years of planning and preparation has gone into making this new phase of kākāpō conservation a reality. We’re thrilled to be at the stage where we can experience in real time how the manu react and adapt our management processes accordingly.”
While departure from the sanctuary was not ideal, it was one of the expected challenges of the trial, Deidre says.
“Kākāpō are smart, determined and excellent climbers. The two-metre high, 47km-long fence underwent a modification ahead of the translocation to add a barrier to deter kākāpō from climbing it, however as with any trial there is always an element of the unknown,” Deidre says.
“This is the purpose of a trial – to learn how to adapt to best suit kākāpō. It’s great to have real life data on how they react so we can refine our approach.”
The kākāpō wear transmitters and GPS and are regularly monitored by rangers but there are some limitations with the technology; this combined with adverse weather and difficult terrain prevented us from pinpointing Tautahi for several days, but once we saw he was definitively outside the perimeter we acted quickly and were able to return him safely to the sanctuary, Deidre says.
Tautahi is one of 10 male Ngāi Tahu kākāpō transferred from Whenua Hou / Codfish Island, Pukenui / Anchor Island and Te Kākahu-o-Tamatea / Chalky Island as part of an historic trial involving DOC, Ngāi Tahu and Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari to see whether these flightless, nocturnal parrots can thrive in a fenced sanctuary, as the current habitat – predator free offshore islands – are close to capacity for kākāpō.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kākāpō Species Representative Tāne Davis has worked with the taonga for many years and was not surprised by the escape attempt.
“The manu will always challenge us. Each of the kākāpō are adapting to their new surroundings and we need to refine our approach alongside them. They’ve spent their life on offshore islands with no fences, so it’s natural for them to be inquisitive.”
General Manager of Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari Helen Somerville says learnings and adjustments to the Sanctuary’s operating protocols are being applied.
“Our team will add additional vegetation clearances and increase the monitoring of Tautahi over the coming weeks to ensure he stays within the safety of the sanctuary.
“This event highlights the value of the partnership between Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, iwi, Ngāi Tahu and the Department of Conservation who are all committed to the success of this trial.”
Overall, the 10 kākāpō are doing well in the new habitat, with all having passed recent health checks.
Tautahi was part of the second cohort, transferred in September.
“What we’re seeing is a period of settling in with the kākāpō where they spend the first month or so exploring their new surroundings. Once they have the lay of the land, they tend to settle into their smaller ranges,” Deidre says.
“Many of the others have come up to the fence and simply turned around again. So now we know we need to pay extra close attention to the birds who spend more time investigating the fence in those early weeks.
“We’re looking forward to a day where kākāpō can once again roam the landscape freely, but until we can achieve large predator free areas, it’s not possible.
“Kākāpō are vulnerable to predation, so pest-free habitat like Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is an important stepping-stone and we look forward to continuing to learn more from this important trial.”
Oh, hey buddy, how’re you doing? Enjoying the wedding? Wait up, let me tell you a story.
One of our Kapiti-Wellington team lives near me and offered me a lift home. As I’m not a huge fan of my evening commute, I gratefully accepted. Always take a lift from a ranger. I can’t stress this enough; you end up having a weird time more often than not.
Mel, who was on wildlife standby for the week, said she’d had a call about an injured albatross in the car park of a care home in Silverstream, Upper Hutt (called in by Tom who was working there for the day), and did I want to come along. I said that wasn’t a sentence I’d ever expected to hear, but yes I absolutely did want to come along.
Salvin’s albatross in their ‘happy place’ on the subantarctic Bounty Islands. Photo: Jo Hissock
We stopped off at Silverstream New World for a cardboard box big enough to hold a medium-sized albatross. This request deeply confused the store worker until he realised we were DOC, and to his credit he came back with a good sized box. Well done for rising to the occasion mate; I hope that was the weirdest thing someone said to you that day.
In Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the eponymous Mariner kills the bird despite its leading the crew to safety, bringing unending stillness to the sea and stranding their ship. As penance, his crewmates make him wear the corpse of the dead bird (disclaimer: please do not attempt to wear or make others wear an albatross). When I thought an albatross was the size of a big seagull, this seemed weird but bearable and hey, it was the 1800s.
Friends, after getting up close and personal with an upset albatross, I can tell you it’d have to be one heck of a gull.
Arriving at Silverstream aged care home, I was confronted by the reality of an albatross. Mollymawk wingspans are between 1.8m and 2.5m, so that’s a big seagull. This one wasn’t huge, and couldn’t flap much due to the wing injury, but it was still pretty sizeable.
Speaking of, the wing was sticking up at an abrupt angle, and can’t have been fun for the bird. Which led to the main task of the day, and the associated conundrum; how the heck do we get Flappy Bird XL here into the Twisties box so kindly donated by the good folk at the New World?
Once again, a sentence I never expected to say.
The bird was suspicious, and rightly so
After lining the box with towels, Mel tasked me with distracting the bird’s powerful beak with another rolled-up towel, while she used yet another towel to secure it. Douglas Adams’ famous line from The HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy that a towel is “about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have” clearly applies to rangers too! This part was, however, terrifying; the albatross beak is long, large, and easily capable of severing a digit. I feared this giant seabird, and quite like having all my fingers attached to my skinny hand, not to mention that it was Mel wearing the only set of gloves and holding the net.
Once netted, our feathered friend was not pleased, but didn’t protest too much and we (mostly Mel) wrangled around and into the box. Immediately, he started to chew his way out, alarmingly close to my fingers. Again, I’m not keen on losing a thumb to an angry seabird, so we reinforced the cardboard with a plastic tub that thankfully fit nice and snug, carefully maneuvered the whole apparatus into the car, and drove to The Nest in rush hour traffic.
The Nest Te Kōhanga is Wellington Zoo’s animal hospital and centre for native wildlife; when a large native animal is injured in and around the capital, this is where DOC brings them. The team at The Nest treat hundreds of sick and injured native wildlife patients each year, and it’s a huge contribution to saving animals in the wild.
The traffic wasn’t great; this was rush hour in the CBD now, and we sat in the car, as idle as a painted car upon a painted SH1. Traffic, traffic, everywhere, as the bird rustled in the back. Traffic, traffic, everywhere, but we were soon back on track.
The box we contained the mollymawk in. That’s what the beak did
The staff at The Nest handled the bird much more assertively and professionally than I did, probably because they’re trained wildlife vets and not a comms advisor who once did a couple of modules in ecology. This was not their first albatross rodeo; one vet held our feathered casualty securely while another gave some (presumably welcome) painkillers. Weighing the bird was a team effort from both the experts, before transferring him to a more spacious cage than the cardboard box to await blood tests and x-ray.
Pain eased, but still imprisoned for his own good, we awaited news of his condition. In the meantime, we went and checked on the leopard seal making a spectacle of itself/peacefully snoozing on the Oriental Bay beach while people cooed from behind DOC yellow tape. But that’s another story.
Yup, there’s definitely a seal in the area
The albatross, as of time of writing, is still alive and flapping. The wing had a “soft tissue injury on the left carpus” – i.e. hurt wing – but apparently is improving nicely. We found it at the right time, as it was pretty dehydrated and a little starving, but the team is hopeful he’ll be soaring the skies again soon. Shout out to Tom Ricketts who called it in to the 0800 DOCHOT line for us to come collect; literally can’t do this work without people like you.
Imprisoned for his crimes, but mostly for healing
What have I learned? First off, intellectually knowing an albatross is big and actually having one try to nibble you in person are two very different things. I also found out I’m a little scared of birds that can de-finger me, but that’s probably for the best, and you really can’t blame an animal for being freaked out. And, obviously, a good ranger always knows where their towel is.
I also learned a ton about Salvin’s albatross, because now that I’ve met one I wanted to know more. These birds are considered to be Nationally Critical and, since their population is naturally quite small, they’re really susceptible to issues like bycatch or climate. You can find out more, like I did, on the DOC website here.
Most importantly of all, I saw firsthand that people do care about our native species. We’re thankful for the call, the people in the aged care home were thankful for us coming out, the people at the beach loved hearing more about leopard seals while keeping a respectful distance, and the Wellington Zoo staff jumped at the chance to help the albatross.
In ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’, the wedding guest leaves “a sadder, wiser man”. And I’d say that’s half-true here; I’m wiser, but this is definitely a happy ending.
Ngāti Hei has lifted its rāhui at Cathedral Cove but has re-emphasised its support for DOC’s closure of tracks in the interests of visitor safety.
Ngāti Hei leaders have also highlighted need for the whenua to heal from what they have expressed as abuse of a culturally significant site.
The iwi placed a rāhui over Cathedral Cove in February, after Cyclone Gabrielle damaged tracks to the cove and washed away built structures at the bottom of the track which gives access to the cove.
Ngāti Hei Kaumatua Joe Davis publicly voiced his concern manuhiri (visitors) would be putting themselves at risk by using tracks which DOC had closed to manage risk to visitors created by rockfall and landslides.
The tīkanga to lift the rāhui was completed last week.
“Ngāti Hei still believes the whenua needs a rest,” Joe says. “We still care about the well-being of people engaging with this important cultural site – and we urge people to respect DOC’s restrictions on access.”
Joe says Ngāti Hei, like DOC staff, are aware people continue to disregard well-publicised track closure advice and find ways of accessing the beach from the land, including creating their own paths through the bush.
“We’re concerned people are putting themselves in harm’s way by ignoring the warnings. We do not want anyone getting hurt at Cathedral Cove, and we cannot manage visitors’ health and safety if they choose not to pay attention to the warnings,” Joe says.
“We want to add our voice to DOC’s risk advocacy for Cathedral Cove and encourage people to stay off the tracks and the reserve land immediately surrounding the beach.”
Nick Kelly, DOC’s Coromandel Operations Manager, says DOC appreciates people still want to see Cathedral Cove and urged them “see it from the sea”.
“As we’ve repeatedly stated, there is a very real risk of potentially harmful rockfall and erosion at this beach. DOC has a responsibility to manage and publicise that risk, which is what we’ve been doing.
“A particular concern for us is the type of visitors who traditionally go to Cathedral Cove – they’re day-trippers looking for a safe and easy walk to a beach. With damaged tracks and the risk of landslides and rockfall, it’s not suitable for this type of visitors who’ve traditionally gone there.”
Work to decommission the toilets on the beach has also begun this week.
As recently as September, rocks the size of chilly bins fell from the cove’s famous arch. DOC staff have finalised the installation of signage which warns of the risk identified in an independent report provided to DOC by Tonkin + Taylor, which is published on the DOC website.
Visitors planning to access Cathedral Cove from the sea are advised to inform themselves of the risk on the beach, and to take into account weather, sea and tide conditions before attempting to land.
DOC is working on options to reimagine the Cathedral Cove/Hahei conservation experience, factoring in the impacts of climate change and the need to make sensible investments in long-term resilient solutions.
The Wharawhara Track and areas within immediate proximity of the site were temporarily closed and a rāhui was imposed in July when Phytophthora agathidicida (PA), the pathogen that causes kauri disease, was detected during routine soil sampling.
DOC Operations Manager Zane Jensen said restricting access protected kauri by limiting any possible spread of the pathogen while wider sampling across the site was complete.
“We all have a role to play in protecting these Rakau Rangatira,” says Zane.
“We’re pleased sampling did not re-detect the pathogen that causes kauri disease, so we can now look forward to re-opening areas within the site.
DOC staff will assess track condition and make sure they are safe for visitors to use.
“We will update our website as tracks re-open between now and 29 October. Until then they will stay closed.”
“If track conditions aren’t safe for visitors, or re-opening would pose further risk to kauri, they will stay closed for further maintenance to bring them up to standard.
“We’ll continue collaborating with mana whenua, Tiakina Kauri, and other agencies to monitor and protect kauri.”
Mana whenua liaison Carlton Bidois said further sampling work and new infrastructure was needed to lower the risk of visitors transferring the pathogen to kauri.
“Mana whenua will continue to assess the merits of lifting rāhui against the backdrop of risk management options moving forward.”
DOC, in partnership with mana whenua, have made the call to have two tracks, (Wharawhara Tramway Track and Te Rereatukahia Hut Track), remain closed for approximately 6 months for additional sampling in suitable conditions.
Visitors to re-opened tracks are reminded to stay on tracks, arrive clean, and leave clean to avoid spreading the PA pathogen.
Te whakatuwheratanga o ngā ara i te Kaimai
Kei te aromatawaitia e Te Papa Atawhai ngā ara kua rāhuitia i roto i te ngahere o Kaimai Mamaku. Ko te whāinga kia nahanaha ai te whakatuwhera i ētahi o ngā ara i te marama e heke mai nei.
I te Hūrae rāhuitia ai te takiwā e karapoti ana i te ara o Te Wharawhara, nā te kitenga o te tukumate kauri e kīa nei ko te Phytophthora agathidicida (PA), i roto i tētahi tīpakonga one hātepe.
E ai ki a Zane Jensen, pou matarautaki ki Te Papa Atawhai, he rautaki parahau te rāhui e haumaru ai ngā kauri i te horapa o te tukumate, kia tīpakohia whānuitia te one i te ngahere.
“Nā tātou katoa te haepapa ki te tiaki i ēnei rākau hirahira”, te kī a Zane. “E matakuikui ana mātou kāore i kitea anō te tukumate i roto i ētahi atu tīpakonga one, nā konā e taea ai te aro ki te whakatuwhera i te ngahere.”
Ka aromatawaitia ngā ara e ngā kaimahi o Te Papa Atawhai, kia whakatauria mēnā he marutau mō te marea.
“Ka whakahoungia tā mātou pae tukutuku ina tuwhera ai ētahi ara i te marama o Oketopa.”
“Mēnā kāore ngā ara e marutau mō te marea, mēnā rānei ka tūraru ngā kauri ki te whakatuwhera, ka kati tonu ēnā ara kia oti pai ngā mahi whakawhanake.”
“Ka mahi tahi tonu mātou ko ngā iwi mana whenua, ko Tiakina Kauri, ko ētahi atu roopu hoki ki te aroturuki, ki te manaaki i ngā kauri.”
Ka kati tonu ēnei ara e rua, Wharawhara Tramway Track me Te Rereatukahia Hut Track, mo ngā marama e ono, kia tīpakohia anō te one i ngā marama mahana.
Hei manatu ki ngā manuhiri, piri ki ngā ara, horoia o hū me ō taputapu i mua i tō kuhunga i te ngahere, i tō wehenga hoki, koi horapa te tukumate.
Date: 05 October 2023Source: Offices of the Minister of Conservation and the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries
First marine reserves in southeastern South Island.
Six new marine reserves increase mainland reserves by 67%.
Protects habitats of hoiho/yellow-eyed penguin, toroa/northern royal albatross, rāpoka/New Zealand sea lion, as well as brittle stars, squat lobster, kōura, shrimps, crabs, sponges, sea squirts, reef fishes and many others.
Builds on the Government’s record of ocean protection.
The Labour Government is continuing to deliver on its promise to protect New Zealand’s oceans, with the announcement today of six new marine reserves between Oamaru and The Catlins.
Conservation Minister Willow-Jean Prime and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Rachel Brooking joined Kāi Tahu representatives in Dunedin today to mark the creation of the first marine reserves in the southeast South Island.
“Protecting our oceans and their biodiversity for future generations is important to this Government,” Willow-Jean Prime said.
“In August we announced our plans to protect the Hauraki Gulf. Today, we’re announcing six new marine reserves in the South Island.
“The creation of these new reserves increases the area in marine reserves around mainland New Zealand by more than two thirds.
“This spectacular coastline from Oamaru to Southland is home to some of our most endangered species, like hoiho/yellow-eyed penguin, toroa/northern royal albatross and rāpoka/New Zealand sea lion.
“It includes estuarine and tidal lagoons, rocky reefs, offshore canyons, giant kelp forests and deepwater bryozoan or lace coral thickets, and an array of marine life that were under pressure from human activity.
“Local communities have worked hard on this for more than a decade and it is a huge pleasure to be able to deliver on it for them.”
Willow-Jean Prime said close engagement with mana whenua had been important.
“I acknowledge Kāi Tahu – as kaitiaki for this spectacular coast – for their engagement in the shaping of the new marine reserves.
“Provisions have been made for Kāi Tahu to continue to access the marine reserve areas for practices that enhance their mātauraka Māori (traditional knowledge) and retrieve koiwi tākata (ancestral remains), artefacts and marine mammal remains.
“Kāi Tahu will work in partnership with the Department of Conservation to manage the marine reserves once they are in place.”
Rachel Brooking said the six marine reserves were the first step in creating a network of marine protection in the area, and build on the Government’s track record of protecting the oceans.
“From tightening the rules to around fish being discarded at sea and putting cameras on commercial fishing vessels, to stopping bottom trawling the vast bulk of the Hauraki Gulf, this is a Government that understands you can’t have a successful commercial fishing industry in an unhealthy ocean,” Rachel Brooking said.
As well as the six marine reserves announced today, the Government is looking at using fisheries management regulations to protect a further five areas, along with a proposed kelp protection area. Rachel Brooking said 90% of more than 4,000 submissions had shown there is broad backing for the proposed network.
The Government has also created nine new mātaitai reserves this year, bringing the total number to 66.
The system is now live for bookings from 14 October onwards.
Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro and DOC want to ensure the experience of walking the Crossing protects the fragile environment, respects the cultural significance of the area, and is safe and sustainable.
DOC Director Heritage and Visitors Catherine Wilson, says visitor numbers on the Crossing are putting consistent pressure on the conservation and cultural values of the area, as well as the infrastructure.
“DOC will be making changes to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in the coming years, aiming to better manage the pressures and strengthening cultural and heritage values of the area.
“By proactively managing the challenges facing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealanders will help protect Tongariro for future generations.
“Bookings from the season will inform the management of the Crossing and visitor information and feedback will help us shape future improvements” says Catherine Wilson.
Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro spokesperson Te Ngaehe Wanikau, says the spiritual, cultural and physical wellbeing of the maunga and its environment are paramount.
“Everything else fits into that. Our enduring advocacy is that rangatiratanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and the associate tikanga of Manaaki Tangata Manaaki Whenua will be reflected in the physical application in management and operations.
“Any action or activity within the area will be based firmly in these values” says Te Ngaehe Wanikau.
Tongariro National Park has Dual World Heritage status for its cultural and natural heritage values.
Although bookings are highly encouraged, they are not compulsory. Visitors who turn up at the Crossing without a booking will not be penalised.
Visitors who have a Tongariro Northern Circuit hut or campsite booking are exempt from booking through the new system.
“We’re over the halfway line to bring it up to Great Walk standard,” says Southern South Island Director of Operations Aaron Fleming, “but there’s still a lot to do. All project partners have agreed more time is needed for construction, so the end date has been pushed out to October 2024.
“The track is already open and in use, managed by the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Charitable Trust. Bookings are still open during construction, with public access given priority.
The Hump Ridge track is 61kms and takes about three days. Trampers are treated to an alpine environment with soaring limestone tors, uphill sections through coastal forests, expansive beaches, historic viaduct bridges, old timber settlements, and the longest tramway sleeper walk in the southern hemisphere.
“Great progress has been made to date and visitors walking the track this summer season will notice obvious signs of improvement, even if this is their first time on the Hump Ridge,” Aaron Fleming says.
Three sections of the track have clearly been upgraded and realigned, with new steps installed to cross over rough terrain. Other parts are still under construction, but accessible. The Rarakau carpark redevelopment has also started.
“We are also working with mana whenua Ōraka Aparima Rūnaka and Rowallan Alton Inc to develop storytelling and interpretation for the track. Significant headway has been made in construction of the Waharoa (gateway) for the track entrance.”
“When the Hump Ridge Track upgrade is finished it will be safer and more accessible to more people. Tricky gradients are being eased, boardwalks have been put in over mucky ground, sections of the track have been future proofed against climate change and natural hazards and emergency alternative routes and new swing bridges are being constructed,” says Aaron Fleming.
“Improving the Hump Ridge Track means this place steeped in cultural and historical significance becomes more of a drawcard for a larger pool of kiwi and international visitors.”
Background information
The Hump Ridge is considered a challenging track, walkers need to ensure they plan and prepare well for their trip and have a reasonable level of fitness.
Department of Conservation staff have been assessing tracks and other structures across southern South Island following last week’s storm event which triggered a State of Emergency across the region.
DOC Operations Director Southern South Island Aaron Fleming says so far reports for the major tracks are looking positive, but some local tracks remain closed.
“Now the weather has cleared, the clean-up begins. Our staff have been working hard to get out across the region to check for damage and ensure our structures are safe. The major impacts on many of the tracks appears to be windfall – trees and other debris covering tracks – and erosion from floodwaters,” Aaron says.
“This means people will need to take extra care when out exploring, but for the most part, many tracks are open.”
Where damage is more significant, such as large washouts or bridges are down, DOC has closed tracks until repairs or remediation can take place, Aaron says.
This includes the Lake Sylvan Track near Glenorchy and the Mt Crichton Loop near Queenstown. Dore Pass carpark and Mackay Creek Campground on the Milford Road are closed due to washouts, and Freeman Burn Hut in Fiordland is closed due to the risks posed by a dam which has formed upstream of the hut.
“We’ll be updating our website as more information comes through but in the meantime, we encourage people to use extra caution when heading out.
“Rivers may still be high and land could be unstable so people should use good judgement and don’t take unnecessary risks.”
With significant weather events becoming more frequent due to the impacts of climate change, DOC is looking at ways to build resilience across its network of infrastructure, Aaron says.
“Repairing and replacing assets takes time and resources. The February 2020 storm caused significant damage to tracks, huts and bridges across Otago and Fiordland that were important to local communities, recreational users and tourism operators alike. We’ve made excellent progress with those repairs, with the majority reopened but still have work almost four years later.
“We need to ensure our assets such as tracks, bridges and huts are resilient to the impacts of climate change, and this means it’s not always about simply replacing like for like.
“We need to think differently and plan ahead,” Aaron says.
In the meantime, people planning to head to public conservation land should always check the weather forecast, look at the DOC website or contact their nearest visitor centre for up-to-date information on track conditions.
If people come across any damage or windfall they can send photos to their local DOC office.
DOC Nelson Lakes Senior Biodiversity Ranger Melissa Griffin says kea had practically disappeared from Nelson Lakes but more kea sightings last summer suggest efforts to re-build the population are working.
“Trampers reported seeing groups of kea with juvenile and sub-adult birds,” says Melissa Griffin.
“It’s been particularly exciting young kea known to have been bred in the Nelson Lakes area were among those seen. This shows the birds are doing well on their own.”
Six kea chicks successfully fledged from two monitored nests in the 2022 breeding season – three from each kea nest. The nesting adult females also each had three chicks fledge from their nests in the 2021 breeding season.
Nesting in the current breeding season is starting with so far one of the females sitting on eggs in her monitored nest cavity.
The exact number of kea in the Nelson Lakes area isn’t known but Melissa Griffin estimates there now could be around 25, based on reported sightings.
DOC and Kea Conservation Trust efforts to protect and grow the kea population in Nelson Lakes are being boosted thanks to support from the World Parrot Trust and New Zealand Parrot Trust, charities devoted to the conservation of wild parrots.
The funding facilitates critical work by contractors during the breeding season to help maintain stoat traps around monitored kea nests.
“The World Parrot Trust and New Zealand Parrot Trust support to protect kea nests enables DOC rangers to put more time into learning more about the kea in the area,” says Melissa Griffin.
“We’re also grateful for the support enabling us to purchase five radio-transmitters. These will be put on fledging kea chicks this breeding season to track them and find out where they go after they leave the nest.”
“We are proud to support DOC in its mission to protect kea at Nelson Lakes National Park. Kea play an important role as seed dispersers in subalpine and alpine environments. Therefore, an increase in kea numbers in the area can have an important effect on plant communities,” said Luis Ortiz-Catedral, Oceania Regional Director of the World Parrot Trust.
DOC staff are encouraging visitors to Nelson Lakes to look out for kea and report sightings to assist in learning more about the local population.
A novel approach was taken last summer with visitors invited to take part in a “Where’s Wally” type quest to find a juvenile kea named Wallie. Wallie had fledged from one of the monitored nests in December and Melissa Griffin says the bird was given the name after proving to be hard to spot in the nest.
“For a long time, there were only two kea chicks seen in footage from cameras focussed on the entrance to the nest cavity, then randomly a third chick started to appear. It was something of a mystery bird.”
Wallie is distinguishable by leg bands used to identify individual birds with Wallie’s being the letters CW in yellow on a blue band. There have been several sightings of Wallie so far this year.
People are asked to report sightings of banded kea and other kea to a kea database to help build a picture of kea numbers in areas and kea movements.
Live capture traps, purchased through Kea Conservation Trust fundraising, helped protect a monitored kea nest in the Rainbow Conservation Area from predation by feral cats during the 2022 breeding season. Nine feral cats were caught in the traps.
The other monitored nest was in the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project area and benefitted from its ongoing stoat and possum trapping.
