Predator Free NZ

Native wildlife

Oystercatcher on Mokau Estuary reaches venerable old age

by

How old can an old bird get? It depends on the species of course and the risks of predation and starvation and all the other hazards of a life lived wild. But assuming a bird lives to its ‘full term’ potential, what is ‘old’ in bird lifespans? K-7446 was identified and photographed in 2019 by … [Read more...] about Oystercatcher on Mokau Estuary reaches venerable old age

Human impact on NZ birds measured in millions of years

by

The conservation decisions we make today will have an impact for millions of years! That’s the conclusion of authors Luis Valente, Rampal Etienne and Juan Garcia, who use New Zealand’s unique bird species as an example of the macroevolutionary impact of humans, in an article recently published in … [Read more...] about Human impact on NZ birds measured in millions of years

Drone technology offers low impact method for seabird census

by

The Ashburton/Hakatere River mouth in Mid Canterbury is a nesting site for large colonies of black-billed gulls and white-fronted terns and proved an ideal study site for testing the bird census capabilities of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) compared to more traditional bird count methods. When … [Read more...] about Drone technology offers low impact method for seabird census

Researchers tackle challenge of monitoring rūrū

by

The rūrū is Aotearoa’s last remaining native owl. It’s not considered a threatened species. In fact, it’s reasonably common and widespread, especially in forested parts of the North Island and western South Island. But rūrū do tend to nest in tree cavities, which puts females at risk from introduced … [Read more...] about Researchers tackle challenge of monitoring rūrū

‘Intractable species’ prove a challenge for conservation

by

Why are some native species so much harder to save? Kelly Hare et al have called them the ‘intractable species’ and investigate why they continue to flounder even with rigorous conservation efforts in some cases. Female hihi. Hihi struggle to find enough food, even in sanctuaries and are named … [Read more...] about ‘Intractable species’ prove a challenge for conservation

Identifying impediments to PF goals

by

Achieving Predator Free 2050 goals will take more than just a scaling-up of eradication efforts according to researchers Duane Peltzer et al from Landcare Research (Lincoln) and the University of Canterbury. They look beyond economic and technological feasibility to identify the key impediments we … [Read more...] about Identifying impediments to PF goals

Researchers surprised by petrel numbers on ‘refuge’ islands

by

A survey of 71 islands in southern Fiordland in the summer of 2017, by researchers from Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and the Department of Conservation, found forty breeding colonies of three petrel species spread across 35 of those 71 islands, according to a report just published in … [Read more...] about Researchers surprised by petrel numbers on ‘refuge’ islands

Video camera study reveals rare birds in ruru diet

by

The ruru (morepork) is a predator – but it’s certainly not on the ‘predator-free’ hit list. Those slots are just for introduced mammal predators which haven’t co-evolved with our vulnerable native species. Ruru do prey on other native wildlife however, including endangered species, as a recent study … [Read more...] about Video camera study reveals rare birds in ruru diet