Greymouth course builds a passion for conservation work
Friday is a big day for 13 students at Greymouth High School – and not just because it’s the last school day before the weekend.…
Kingfisher cashes in on bird feeder
Feeding backyard birds is popular in New Zealand – one recent study revealed up to half of us feed the birds in our gardens. It’s…
Kea demonstrate their maths skills
Kea are known to be smart and the more we learn about them, the smarter we realise they are. But did you know kea can…
Fenced in felines – keeping cats and wildlife safe
Barbara Clarke’s cats, Sammy and Smudge enjoy a fantastic view over the Pukawa bush reserve from their favourite sunspot on the deck. But because they’re…
Kaitiakitanga and urban restoration
How might traditional concepts and values of kaitiakitanga be included more holistically in urban restoration projects? Authors Erana Walker, Priscilla Wehi, Nicola Nelson, Jacqueline Beggs…
97-year-old comes to aid of Moeraki penguins
While others may have been more idle than usual during the recent COVID-19 Lockdown, 97-year-old Peter Whitehead was busy in his workshop building trapboxes to…
Otago researchers look at uptake of wildlife gardening
Home gardens collectively make up a big chunk of the total green space in our cities, which means they have huge potential to support urban…
Lockdown project reveals abundance of backyard birds
Have you got a resident fantail that hangs out in your garden? Are you sure there’s just the one? When Auckland University’s Dr James Russell…
Dual 1080 bait switch solves bait-shy possum issues
When researchers tested a dual baiting regime on ship rats back in 2016-2017, they also made some interesting observations about possum behaviour in their study…
Marvellous, mysterious, amazing – what is this strange creature?
What am I? I lie on my back and play dead with my legs in the air and jaws wide open to fool predators –…
Rats on the move – how far do they disperse?
How far might young rats disperse if they find themselves in a place with few other rat competitors? It’s an important question, with implications for…
Yealands Estate adds trapping to their eco-friendly initiatives
Tara Smith is Sustainability Manager for Yealands Estate. The role is a new one – she started in May 2019 – but sustainability has been…
Checking up on the other yellow-eyed penguins
Yellow-eyed penguins (YEPs) are endemic and endangered and the Otago population is declining with poor breeding seasons and high adult mortality. But YEPs live in…
Oystercatcher on Mokau Estuary reaches venerable old age
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…
‘Didymo Dave’ makes trout lures from stoat tails
Got a freshly dead stoat in your trap? Want to feed your family a tasty meal. No – we’re not offering up stoat recipes here.…
