Titi inspires formation of Bluff Hill group
Bluff Hill, at the southernmost tip of the South Island, is home to one of the few mainland colonies of titi/muttonbirds in New Zealand. Hundreds…
Do rats mind inky feet?
Rats are fastidious groomers. So how does an animal that grooms frequently react to the prospect of running through viscous tracking ink? Are rats reluctant…
A24 vs Stoats – island experiment deemed a success
The A24 self-resetting trap has been around for a year or two now, but development of the product and testing of its capabilities continues, along…
Tea-strainers help fight ‘Battle for Banded Rail’
Tracey Murray, Trapping Field Officer for ‘Battle for the Banded Rail’ recently bought 150 mesh tea-strainers online, importing them from a manufacturer in China. So…
What makes a great kiwi burrow?
Birds can spend a significant portion of their lives at roosting sites – up to two thirds of their time – so it makes sense…
Traps, technology and lizard tales on the Kapiti Coast
‘Many hands make light work’, so the saying goes – although in the case of the Kapiti Coast community, it’s a matter of ‘many volunteers…
Weka are tough – but are they tough enough?
Weka are largish, robust-looking and with a keen curiosity that suggests they’re no birdbrains. They’re also opportunist pilferers if there’s chook food around or even…
An adventure series with an environmental message
Jon Tucker’s Those Kids series is set of linked sailing adventure books featuring some Kiwi and Aussie kids coping with unexpected challenges, whilst learning about contemporary environmental…
Robot in garage assembles Econode circuit boards
Behind the doors of ordinary Kiwi garages, some astonishing things are happening. Take, for example, a garage somewhere in the suburbs of Upper Hutt, where…
City cats – what don’t we know and how can we find out?
Cats, cat management and the impact of cats on conservation – it seems that everyone in New Zealand has an opinion and a significant proportion…
Survey investigates huge volunteer contribution
It has been estimated that between 25,000 and 45,000 people belong to community-based environmental groups in New Zealand. That’s a lot of volunteer work and,…
Mice – should we be worried?
When there’s a mouse in your pantry you notice – but in the wider environment they’re common and inconspicuous. It’s difficult to know what impact…
Puketi Forest Trust’s battle for kōkako leads to breeding success
The kōkako are back and breeding successfully in Northland’s Puketi Forest, but it’s been a long battle to get them there – a battle fought…
Blue ducks – how different is ‘different’?
Blue ducks (whio) live in both the North and South Island – they’re isolated by distance, but how isolated are they genetically? Physically there are…
Children’s author goes ‘predator free’ in latest adventure novel
‘When children’s author, Jon Tucker, was a teenager growing up in Nelson, he married the girl next door and they began to build a boat…
