WORLD LEADER IN THREATENED SPECIES PROTECTION’

New Zealand’s Bird Conservation story is a global talk point. Helmed by its Department of Conservation and pegged on a bulky budget, it has saved several species of exotic birds. MEENAKSHI RAO spoke to DOC’s senior advisor spokesperson Herb Christopher about this campaign. Excerpts of the interview:

Bird conservation is a big project on which New Zealand prides itself. Where does it stand now and what more needs to be done?

We need to put bird conservation in New Zealand into context. Humans have only been in here for about 1,000 years. Before that our island chain was inhabited only by terrestrial birds. It was mammal-free except for bats, and birds filled all niches filled by mammals on continental mainlands. Because of this New Zealand has a strong commitment to preserving the native species and their habitats. Bird conservation involves defending these natural inhabitants from invasive pests brought in by human settlers. The main introduced pests that have the greatest impact on bird survival are the Australian possum, ship rat and stoat. The Department of Conservation identifies places and native species in need of priority protection and manages them by reducing pest numbers to enable retention of a suite of native species.

What kind of budget allocation does this project get?

In 2014, the Department of Conservation spent $NZ162,995,000 on management of this natural heritage. This allocation is from a total budget of NZ$345,323,000. i.e. 47 per cent of budget. The other 53 per cent is allocated to recreation and historic heritage.

Worldwide this project is known to be one of the biggest. Can you talk about this a little more and compare it with some similar project in any part of the world?

New Zealand has become a world leader in threatened species protection, particularly in regard to eradication of pests. We export our expertise throughout the world and have helped people from Scotland, the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the polar Antarctic region. Islands where we have cleared pests have become lifeboats for species at risk on the mainland. Breeding in pest free offshore environments has raised population levels of threatened species and enabled reintroductions to protected areas on mainland New Zealand.

On the mainland, the Department of Conservation is a master at landscape management of native species and protects whole ecosystems with appropriate pest control.

What bird species are the most intensely conserved?

Looking after a particular species is about protecting its natural environment.  Some priority species that are well known are Kiwi, Kakapo, Kakako and Mohua.

The bird conservation project is very closely tied to tourism too. Can you speak about this amazing synergy? 

Here are two very good examples of where partnerships with business have resulted in mutual benefits:

Air New Zealand has formed a 5 year partnership with DOC with a fund resource of $7,325,000 made up of flights for species transfers for reintroductions, breeding, in-kind marketing of 'Coastal Gems’ and direct funding to support species management and Marine Research funding. It also funds promotions of Great Walks which encourages tourism on our 9 iconic walking tracks.

Genesis Energy is an electricity generator and its water supplies come from where a rare species of torrent duck, the whio, lives. DOC has a 5-year partnership with Genesis under which 'whio' has increased their breeding significantly on a budget of $2,500,000.

Can you talk about the top five success stories in the bird conservation movement and where do they stand now?

Below are 5 examples. These all have long histories that began before the formation of the DOC but much of the success is because of a co-ordinated methodical approach to pest management and intensive breeding programmes:

Kakapo: Have inhabited New Zealand for thousands of years but by the 1970s only 18 Kakapos existed — all in Fiordland and all males, thus doomed to extinction. But in 1977, a population of male and female kakapos was discovered on Stewart Island, giving new hope for survival. Since then, a team has worked tirelessly to protect, manage and grow the Kakapo population alongside local volunteers and increasing overseas support for nest-minding and supplementary feeding during breeding seasons. Today there are kakapo breeding populations on three predator-free islands. The aim of Kakapo recovery is to establish at least two managed populations and another self-sustaining one, each with at least 50 breeding aged females in a protected habitat.

Black Robin: There are now around 200 Black Robins today, but in 1980 only five survived on Little Mangere Island. They were saved from extinction by Don Merton and his Wildlife Service team, and by "Old Blue", the last remaining fertile female. The remaining birds were moved to Mangere Island. The team increased the annual output of Old Blue (and later other females) by removing the first clutch over every year and placing the eggs in the nest of the Chatham race of the tomtit, a technique known as cross-fostering. The species is still endangered, but now numbers around 250 individuals in populations on Mangere Island and South East Island.

Campbell Island Teal: are endemic to Campbell Island, part of the World heritage site in sub Antarctic Islands. The Campbell Island Teal came very close to extinction, with a tiny remnant population surviving on Dent Island after Norway rats wiped out the main population on Campbell Island. The captive-breeding programme took many years to produce any young, and in the end only one of the three wild females brought into captivity produced an offspring. The entire captive-bred population is descended from this one female. The most recent attempt to locate birds on the island (2009) indicated a minimum presence of 102 birds.

Saddleback: The single remaining natural population of around 500 birds is on Hen Island. There are translocated populations on many offshore Islands and there are mainland populations at five fenced sanctuaries. Recent population estimates suggest there are more than 7,000 birds across all populations.

Kokako: The North Island Kokako population has increased from 330 pairs in 1999 to 1310 in 2012 due to pest control at key sites, and translocation. They characteristically reside in tall, diverse native forest, usually with a canopy of tawa or taraire with emergent podocarps or kauri. Several key populations are being restored by community groups. The conservation status of this species was moved from nationally vulnerable to ‘at risk — recovering' in 2013.

Which birds are extinct and could not be revived as a population despite best efforts?

No birds have become extinct since the early 1972. The Bush Wren were wiped out when fishing boats brought rats to a formerly pristine offshore Island. The species had been in decline for decades on the mainland and was last seen in the 1950s in the North Island, well before any intervention was contemplated.

In more recent years, there have been discoveries of new species and recoveries thought to be extinct. With pest eradication, the remnant populations have become visible again.

The first New Zealand storm petrel nests were discovered in February 2013 by radio-tracking birds caught at sea. The There is no accurate population data but the low rate of re-sightings of these birds (two up to 2013) suggests a population of hundreds if not thousands.  The conservation status of this species was changed from data deficient to nationally endangered in 2013.Bird conservation is a big project on which New Zealand prides itself. Where does it stand now and what more needs to be done?

We need to put bird conservation in New Zealand into context. Humans have only been in here for about 1,000 years. Before that our island chain was inhabited only by terrestrial birds. It was mammal-free except for bats, and birds filled all niches filled by mammals on continental mainlands. Because of this New Zealand has a strong commitment to preserving the native species and their habitats. Bird conservation involves defending these natural inhabitants from invasive pests brought in by human settlers. The main introduced pests that have the greatest impact on bird survival are the Australian possum, ship rat and stoat. The Department of Conservation identifies places and native species in need of priority protection and manages them by reducing pest numbers to enable retention of a suite of native species.

What kind of budget allocation does this project get?

In 2014, the Department of Conservation spent $NZ162,995,000 on management of this natural heritage. This allocation is from a total budget of NZ$345,323,000. i.e. 47 per cent of budget. The other 53 per cent is allocated to recreation and historic heritage.

Worldwide this project is known to be one of the biggest. Can you talk about this a little more and compare it with some similar project in any part of the world?

New Zealand has become a world leader in threatened species protection, particularly in regard to eradication of pests. We export our expertise throughout the world and have helped people from Scotland, the Indian and Pacific Oceans and the polar Antarctic region. Islands where we have cleared pests have become lifeboats for species at risk on the mainland. Breeding in pest free offshore environments has raised population levels of threatened species and enabled reintroductions to protected areas on mainland New Zealand.

On the mainland, the Department of Conservation is a master at landscape management of native species and protects whole ecosystems with appropriate pest control.

What bird species are the most intensely conserved?

Looking after a particular species is about protecting its natural environment.  Some priority species that are well known are Kiwi, Kakapo, Kakako and Mohua.

The bird conservation project is very closely tied to tourism too. Can you speak about this amazing synergy? 

Here are two very good examples of where partnerships with business have resulted in mutual benefits:

Air New Zealand has formed a 5 year partnership with DOC with a fund resource of $7,325,000 made up of flights for species transfers for reintroductions, breeding, in-kind marketing of 'Coastal Gems’ and direct funding to support species management and Marine Research funding. It also funds promotions of Great Walks which encourages tourism on our 9 iconic walking tracks.

Genesis Energy is an electricity generator and its water supplies come from where a rare species of torrent duck, the whio, lives. DOC has a 5-year partnership with Genesis under which 'whio' has increased their breeding significantly on a budget of $2,500,000.

Can you talk about the top five success stories in the bird conservation movement and where do they stand now?

Below are 5 examples. These all have long histories that began before the formation of the DOC but much of the success is because of a co-ordinated methodical approach to pest management and intensive breeding programmes:

Kakapo: Have inhabited New Zealand for thousands of years but by the 1970s only 18 Kakapos existed — all in Fiordland and all males, thus doomed to extinction. But in 1977, a population of male and female kakapos was discovered on Stewart Island, giving new hope for survival. Since then, a team has worked tirelessly to protect, manage and grow the Kakapo population alongside local volunteers and increasing overseas support for nest-minding and supplementary feeding during breeding seasons. Today there are kakapo breeding populations on three predator-free islands. The aim of Kakapo recovery is to establish at least two managed populations and another self-sustaining one, each with at least 50 breeding aged females in a protected habitat.

Black Robin: There are now around 200 Black Robins today, but in 1980 only five survived on Little Mangere Island. They were saved from extinction by Don Merton and his Wildlife Service team, and by "Old Blue", the last remaining fertile female. The remaining birds were moved to Mangere Island. The team increased the annual output of Old Blue (and later other females) by removing the first clutch over every year and placing the eggs in the nest of the Chatham race of the tomtit, a technique known as cross-fostering. The species is still endangered, but now numbers around 250 individuals in populations on Mangere Island and South East Island.

Campbell Island Teal: are endemic to Campbell Island, part of the World heritage site in sub Antarctic Islands. The Campbell Island Teal came very close to extinction, with a tiny remnant population surviving on Dent Island after Norway rats wiped out the main population on Campbell Island. The captive-breeding programme took many years to produce any young, and in the end only one of the three wild females brought into captivity produced an offspring. The entire captive-bred population is descended from this one female. The most recent attempt to locate birds on the island (2009) indicated a minimum presence of 102 birds.

Saddleback: The single remaining natural population of around 500 birds is on Hen Island. There are translocated populations on many offshore Islands and there are mainland populations at five fenced sanctuaries. Recent population estimates suggest there are more than 7,000 birds across all populations.

Kokako: The North Island Kokako population has increased from 330 pairs in 1999 to 1310 in 2012 due to pest control at key sites, and translocation. They characteristically reside in tall, diverse native forest, usually with a canopy of tawa or taraire with emergent podocarps or kauri. Several key populations are being restored by community groups. The conservation status of this species was moved from nationally vulnerable to ‘at risk — recovering' in 2013.

Which birds are extinct and could not be revived as a population despite best efforts?

No birds have become extinct since the early 1972. The Bush Wren were wiped out when fishing boats brought rats to a formerly pristine offshore Island. The species had been in decline for decades on the mainland and was last seen in the 1950s in the North Island, well before any intervention was contemplated.

In more recent years, there have been discoveries of new species and recoveries thought to be extinct. With pest eradication, the remnant populations have become visible again.

The first New Zealand storm petrel nests were discovered in February 2013 by radio-tracking birds caught at sea. The There is no accurate population data but the low rate of re-sightings of these birds (two up to 2013) suggests a population of hundreds if not thousands.  The conservation status of this species was changed from data deficient to nationally endangered in 2013.

Source: Sunday Pioneer, 19 July, 2015