A recent study by Brandon Breedt and Carolyn King provides the first estimates of the proportion of the Waikato Region occupied by each of the target introduced mammal predator species. The results offer a warning to pest managers that pests are more widespread and harder to remove than is commonly … [Read more...] about Waikato pest distribution, detectability studied
Research
If our native birds were gardeners, what would they plant?
Native plants are a good way to attract native birds to your garden. No matter how small, you can always make your backyard more attractive to native birdlife by providing food, water, shelter, and nesting places/materials. Puriri tree. Photo credit: Jon Sullivan You can break down the … [Read more...] about If our native birds were gardeners, what would they plant?
7 surprising facts about hedgehogs
Hedgehogs were first introduced in New Zealand in the 1870s to make British settlers feel more at home. Now, 150 years later, the impact hedgehogs have on our native species is only just being understood. For a long time they were seen as innocuous garden inhabitants, but with more research … [Read more...] about 7 surprising facts about hedgehogs
A glimpse of the social life of Otago skinks
Researchers have recently been studying the social life of our native skinks – and yes, skinks really do have a social network. Who would have thought it? Otago skinks (Oligosoma otagense) living in a large enclosure at Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary were the subjects of this unusual study of skink … [Read more...] about A glimpse of the social life of Otago skinks
Researchers evaluate what pāteke need for successful reintroduction
Pāteke/brown teal are mainly nocturnal, small dabbling ducks found only in New Zealand. They once inhabited a wide range of habitats including wet forests, swamps, slow-flowing streams, lakes and estuaries and in pre-human times may have been the most wide-spread and abundant of our waterfowl. Even … [Read more...] about Researchers evaluate what pāteke need for successful reintroduction
Bringing poo to an island near you…
Even ocean-going birds need to come ashore to breed and when they do, they bring a gift from the oceans with them – nutrient-rich guano (otherwise known as seabird poo). It’s a fertiliser bonanza, especially when those seabirds nest in large, breeding colonies. Gannet breeding colony at Napier. … [Read more...] about Bringing poo to an island near you…
Longterm banded dotterel study shows predator control benefits
Annual bird counts show that banded dotterels have been declining on our braided rivers for many years. But there’s good news amongst the bad. A recently published analysis of longterm population trends, using data from 1962 to 2018, reveals just how big that decline has been – and how one riverbed … [Read more...] about Longterm banded dotterel study shows predator control benefits
Banding aims to uncover turnstone migration mystery
It’s a bit like putting a message in a bottle – banding migratory birds and seeing where else in the world those specific bands are spotted by fellow birdwatchers. But it has a purpose that goes beyond curiosity about migration routes. Many migratory birds are declining in numbers. So where on their … [Read more...] about Banding aims to uncover turnstone migration mystery
Monitoring shows ungulates increasing on public conservation land
Not all introduced mammals are predators. Apart from omnivorous pigs, the 14 types of ungulate (hooved) mammals introduced here over the years are all plant-grazers of one sort or another. But restoring habitat and removing predators go hand-in-hand if we’re to reverse the downward spiral of our … [Read more...] about Monitoring shows ungulates increasing on public conservation land
New home for barking geckos in successful penned release
Small, slow-moving in cold weather and with limited defenses other than camouflage and hiding, our skinks and geckos are vulnerable to predators – but efforts to relocate some of them to sanctuaries haven’t always been successful. Researchers have been refining their methods, however, and a recent … [Read more...] about New home for barking geckos in successful penned release