Our Project Manager Paula Williams talks about what our exciting partnership with Auckland Council m
Our goal is for kiwi to thrive - at a local, regional and national level.
Part of this goal is to identify managed spaces where the range of kiwi can be expanded. The Hunua site is a space under extensive management as it is the Kokako Management Area. It is wonderful another taonga species benefits from this management...while Kokako live in the canopy, kiwi are the treasures of the forest floor.
The Hunua project also supports the Department of Conservation's number one stretch goal - to connect 90% people with their natural heritage. In council and the Trust translocating kiwi to Auckland's back door, they are helping the Department meet this goal - how about that for a partnership? Furthermore, the Trust has been entrusted by the Department to manage the movement of kiwi from the Moehau range, so this translocation is one of many the Trust will be involved with.
I am also training council staff in the monitoring of kiwi, the catching and restraps, and it is great to be educating and expanding national conservation achievements. This helps us achieve our goals of being financially sustainable as a Trust and building capacity in other groups.
The actual catch days for this translocation could not have worked better - both birds caught on the Thursday took ages (two catch teams), whilst all four birds caught on Friday were in the bag by 9:00am (four catch teams). All birds were restrapped at Annemieke's before an on-time departure. The entire plan worked seamlessly.
We are incredibly thankful for our volunteers - they were extremely useful and valuable in the smooth execution of this body of work.
It is a really exciting time for kiwi conservation and also our place in kiwi conservation.
Onwards and upwards for the Trust.
Paula Williams
Project Manager
Project Kiwi Trust
In attendance were: Translocation from Kuaotunu: Mace Ward, Jonathan Miles and Declan Morrison (Auckland Council), Diane Prince and Tommy Herbert (kiwi contractors), Annie and Warwick Wilson (hosts and cooks), Suzanne Taylor (driver), Annemieke Kregting (offsite bird recovery site - housed two kiwi overnight).
Welcome at Marae and release at Hunua: Andrew Wilson, Dave Slaven, Warwick and Annie Wilson, Andrew Wilson & Family, Rebecca Alexander, Amy Hyde. (Project Kiwi Trust Patrons, Trustees and Representatives)
Images courtesy of: RNZ/ Laura Tupou, Auckland Council, Project Kiwi Trust/Rebecca Alexander & Paula Williams, Auckland Biodiversity.
