Ruapehu kiwi to be counted

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 401, 27 August 1991, Page 18

Ruapehu kiwi to be counted

A five year recovery plan to rescue the kiwi from a path to possible extinction was launched last week and it will involve the Ruapehu area. The Kiwi Recovery Plan will be implemented through the Threatened Species Trust

Programme, a partnership between the Department of Conservation and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society and the Bank of New Zealand. A world authority on conservation, Sir David Attenborough, has given

the plan his full support. "Once again New Zealand is leading the way in conservation. By forming this coalition for research and action you can address the threats the kiwi faces and ensure it can flourish at home on the mainland,"

said Sir David. "The Kiwi Recovery Plan is a marvellous al-, liance ... and a source of great hope, because it is New Zealanders who are the guardians of this remarkable survivor." Local conservation officers will be joined by

a team of university volunteers to survey kiwi numbers in this area. "We know there are kiwis. in the Tongariro National Park, Erua, Tongariro and Rangataua forests, but we don't know how many," said conservation officer Rob McCallum. The survey will be on-going with populations counted annually. One species, the little spotted kiwi, is now probably extinct on the mainland, being found only on outlying islands. The great spotted kiwi is found only in the west of the South Island, and although the brown kiwi is still the most common, it is declining in number and geographical spread. All three species are considered threatened with extinction. The Conservation Director of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, Mr Kevin Smith, said the five year

plan would be put into action immediately. Internationally the bird is unique, and New Zealand has a strong obligation to ensure its survival. "Although the kiwi is our national symbol, we know surprisingly little about it. Unfortunately, what we do know is that it is in decline. Kiwis are slowly disappearing from forests in many parts of New Zealand. We need to know why and what needs to be done to protect this amazing bird," said Mr Smith. Threats which have been identified include stoats, wild cats, dogs and pigs, possum traps and poison and the clearance of forest habitat. Action will be taken to keep predators away from kiwi populations, and to educate hunters and landowncrs on how they can avoid harming kiwis. The first stage of the programme will involve 18 months of research, with action also being

taken to safeguard the species most at risk, the little spotted kiwi, from further decline. The next stage of the programme will seck to maintain and, whcre possible, increase the current abundance and distribution of all species of kiwis. Mr Marshall said the Bank of New Zealand's support had enabled the Trust to tackle the problem quickly and across a wide range of fronts. "Time is critical and considerable resources are required throughout the country to implement the plan. The Bank's partnership will contribute greatly to the success of the whole project," he said. The Assistant Director of the Department of Conservation, Mr Piri Sciascia, said today that the kiwi was revered by Maori, and some tribal traditions regarded the kiwi as the eldest child in the bird family of Tane, the god of the forest.