Category: New Zealand Government Public Service

Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  17 December 2024

This is the biggest die-off for sooty shearwaters in northern New Zealand since the shearwater ‘wreck’ in 1999, which followed a large El Nino event in 1997-98.

DOC received reports about unusually high numbers of dead seabirds on North Island west coast beaches throughout November and early December.

“Starvation was confirmed as the cause of the bird deaths, not Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 (HPAI), which was the initial concern, and we suspect the starvation is related to climate change-induced ocean warming,” DOC Principal Science Advisor Graeme Taylor says.

“Our initial assessment is that the deaths are probably associated with unusually warm seas off the coast of Japan affecting the birds’ food stocks. In the spring migration, juvenile birds are returning from the coast off Japan to New Zealand in poor condition and dying when they get here.”

Sooty shearwaters, considered an at-risk species, were the most affected, followed by Buller’s shearwaters and fairy prions. All three species are dependent on conservation management measures to prevent further declines.

Principal Science Advisor Graeme Taylor says past tracking of sooty shearwaters revealed 70% of the New Zealand population migrates to seas north and east of Japan.

“A tagged bird we recaptured in 2024 showed an interesting change in route, departing New Zealand in May heading towards Japan then changing tack and heading east to the Gulf of Alaska.

“We presume the change resulted from unfavourable sea conditions off the coast of Japan.”

Graeme says the spring migration is now almost over, so reports of dead birds are expected to decline over the next month as the birds disappear from our beaches.

“However, we’re likely to see a higher frequency of seabird die-offs like this as oceans continue to get warmer and there’s less available food in their northern hemisphere foraging grounds”.

Graeme cautions people to be careful around any dead birds on the beach.

“HPAI has decimated seabird populations around the globe, and there are concerns it will get here eventually through infected migrant seabirds or marine mammals. It’s important to be careful.

“We normally ask people to weigh freshly dead birds, and we’d confirm if they’d died from starvation. However, due to the risk of HPAI, don’t touch, handle, or collect dead or sick birds to avoid spread of the virus and protect yourself.”

Members of the public should report groups of three or more sick or dead birds, marine mammals, or other wildlife to the MPI exotic pest and disease hotline: 0800 80 99 66.

In the meantime, DOC will continue to keep an eye on the situation and work with the Ministry for Primary Industries on monitoring dead seabirds around our coastlines.

Background information

HPAI (the highly infectious H5N1 strain) has decimated seabird populations around much of the globe but has not yet reached New Zealand or Oceania. This differs to the H7N6 strain of bird flu recently found on the chicken farm in Otago.

Find out more at avian influenza.

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  17 December 2024

A significant fire started near Bridge Hill on December 5 and grew to about 1000 hectares. Firefighters controlled the blaze after several days, but the area remains an active fireground and hotspots could still flare up.

DOC North Canterbury Operations Manager Leeann Ellis says DOC staff will need to get in, assess the damage, and make sure tracks are safe for visitors before they can be reopened.

“Given the area is still an active fireground, it’s become clear we won’t be able to assess these tracks until early in the new year. The Craigieburn Valley and Broken River ski field access roads are also closed.”

Leeann says as well as potential hotspots, hazards on the tracks could include track damage, dangerous burnt trees, and falling rocks or other debris due to unstable ground.

“We know this will be disappointing to some people who had hoped to enjoy the area through the holidays. Fortunately, plenty of other unaffected tracks in the area will be open.

“The DOC website is the best place to check which tracks are open and closed. We will keep it updated as tracks in the fire area are checked and reopened.”

Currently closed tracks and roads include:

• Craigieburn Edge Track
• Camp Saddle Track
• The Luge Track
• Mistletoe Track
• Helicopter Hill Track
• Craigieburn Sidle 73 Track
• Coal Pit Spur Track
• Hut Creek Track
• Bridge Hill Track
• Dracophyllum Flat Track
• Cragieburn Valley Ski Area access road
• Broken River Ski Area access road

Leeann says the fire highlights why it’s so important to be safe with fire in the outdoors.

“Fires on conservation land are often started accidentally. No one wants to see native ecosystems, tracks and huts, or heritage and cultural sites destroyed by a fire, so we’re urging people to stay fire safe in the outdoors this summer.”

To stay fire safe this summer, check any fire restrictions on Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s checkitsalright.nz website before lighting a fire, follow site-specific fire bans, park so hot car exhausts aren’t in long grass, and be careful with gas cookers.

Find out about local fire restrictions at the Check it’s alright website.

Read more about lighting fires on public conservation land

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Source: Department of Conservation

Date:  17 December 2024

A rat eradication operation took place on the atoll’s Home and Cooks islets over August and September 2023. Monitoring to confirm the atoll’s rat-free status was recently completed, with trail cameras and traps showing no evidence whatsoever of rats.

Arthur Neale, the atoll’s Executive Officer, says Palmerston’s rat-free status means the world to him and everyone else who lives on the atoll.

“Rats infested the atoll for over a century. They ate our crops, invaded our homes and harmed local wildlife. We saw the rat problem becoming worse, with the potential to seriously undermine our resilience in the face of climate change impacts.

“Benefits from the rat eradication are already evident. Our food security has improved massively. Fruits like guava, mango and star fruit are now abundant and free from rat damage. Our nu mangaro (a coconut tree variety) are thriving. Vegetables, especially cucumbers, have seen an astonishing increase in yield.

“We’re very excited to see more native species now rats are no longer eating them. Seedlings of tamanu and puka are increasing and we’re seeing and hearing more birds. Wood pigeons and red-tailed tropic birds have returned to Home Islet. Crabs and lizards appear to be more abundant.”

The work that led to a rat-free Palmerston Atoll began several years ago when local NGO Te Ipukarea Society prepared the Palmerston Island Natural Resource Management Plan 2020, which highlighted the potential benefits of eradicating rats.

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

Arthur says the community’s preparations for the eradication operation were immense. “We had to ensure there wasn’t any food for rats – bait had to be the only option. Everything was sealed up, from food to kitchen wastewater systems. We removed sugar cane from our gardens and fruit from trees. We couldn’t risk having livestock feed and faeces available to rats, so we had to carefully manage our chickens and pigs.”

The six-week operation covered Palmerston Atoll’s Home Islet, which has around 30 inhabitants, and the uninhabited Cooks Islet. Bait was hand laid across the two islets and 116 buildings on Home Islet were baited.

Em Oyston from DOC was the project team leader and one of three DOC National Eradication Team members on the ground for the operation. The DOC team has international expertise in island eradications.

“Working on this project with the community and Cook Island agencies was a privilege. The operation’s logistics were challenging, so Palmerston Atoll’s official rat-free status is very satisfying and a huge credit to everyone who played a role in this project,” Em says.

To help the atoll to remain rat-free, biosecurity measures are in place. Detection devices and traps are installed and visiting vessels will be checked offshore for rats or any other pests.

Jessie Nicholson, Biodiversity Coordinator at the Cook Islands National Environment Service, says the rat eradication is a national milestone.

“Palmerston is the first inhabited island in the Cook Islands to be deemed rat-free. This is an incredible achievement that should be celebrated by all people of the Cook Islands.

“Some of our outer island communities have heard about the eradication in Pamati (Palmerston) and expressed interest to conduct rat eradications on their islands also. Palmerston is truly leading the way.

“The National Environment Service is extremely pleased with the successful outcome of the eradication and wishes to acknowledge all those who helped along the way to make this a reality for Palmerston.”

The work was made possible by funding from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, a major supporter of the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service, a collaborative Pacific-led partnership to restore island resilience.

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