Hutton's shearwaters
During the South Island component of the Fall semester of 2005, we contributed to a restoration project on Kaikoura Peninsula. A joint project between the Ngati Kuri Runanga (tribal governing council) and the Department of Conservation aims to establish an additional breeding colony on the endemic Hutton's shearwater (Puffinus huttoni). It is thought that the Hutton's shearwaters, like many other sea birds, used to breed along vast stretches of coastline prior to the arrival of people in New Zealand.
The Hutton's shearwaters are endemic to New Zealand, and only two breeding colonies are known to exist, both at high altitude in the Seaward Kaikoura Mountains. On invitation of the Runanga, with which the EcoQuest Education Foundation has developed a strong relationship over the past five years, students and staff spent two days digging holes and assembling boxes to create artificial burrows. Chicks will be collected from one of the two known breeding colonies, and will be transferred to the artificial burrows prior to fledging. This species has high fidelity to the colonies from which they fledge, and will return to these colonies to breed. The first trial involved some 20 chicks, which fledged successfully earlier in 2005. We helped establish another 80 burrows, so that a total of 100 chicks will be able to be transferred, and fledge in the up and coming breeding season (Oct-April). Hutton's shearwaters don't breed till they are four years of age, so the first return of adults to the new colony is expected in 2008/09.
Hutton's shearwater (Puffinus huttoni) chick Hutton's shearwater (Puffinus huttoni) adult
Students digging burrows on Kaikoura peninsula
Restoration of the coastal zone and wetlands
Closer to home, we worked for a day to assist the local iwi (Ngati Paoa & Ngati Whnaunga) with weeding of the urupa (ancient burial site), which is just across the Whakatiwai Stream, immediately adjacent to EcoQuest. Whaea Paretakengaro Anaru Wilson, one of the female elders, carried out the necessary protocol for students and staff to be able to enter and work on the site. We aim to incorporate one day each semester, in order to help release the native seedlings, and to further restoration of the remnant of native bush present on the site.
Whaea Paretakengaro Anaru Wilson with students. Dhyana Miller, removes privet from the site
Small is beautiful
Each semester there have been unexpected finds in our invertebrate surveys, both at Maungatautari and in the Hunua ranges. In the Hunua Ranges, an unusual carabid beetle was found. Maoripamborus fairburni is considered rare, and was previously only known from one location in Northland. It belongs to the Cychrini, which have unusual morphological characteristics, that allow the beetles to predate on land snails. The Maungatautari team found a creature that, while not rare, is not often encountered: the elephant weevil Rhyncodes ursus..
Elephant weevil, Rhyncodes ursus; Photo by Brigit Rhodes
Pete for President!
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In 2005, EcoQuest Research Associate, Dr Peter Maddison, was elected as president of the New Zealand Royal Forest and Bird Society (the NZ equivalent to the Audubon Society). | ||||
In February 2005, during an early morning hike up to the Pinnacles, some of the students encountered one of New Zealand's endemic frogs: a Hochstetter's frog (Leiopelma hochstetteri). These frogs are known to occur on the Coromandel, but are not often seen.
We are hopeful that this is a good omen as we will continue our Directed Research Project work with these native frogs on Maungatautari. Three of our current team of students were granted a SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship) through the University of New Hampshire and they will extend their stay in New Zealand in order to search for native frogs in the Hunua ranges.
Last semester (September - December, 2004), our students found a small colony of the endangered Hochstetter's frog on Maungatautari. This was the first new find of this species in a decade! Our Research Director, Dr Matt Baber, was over the moon because the discovery has major implications for the work of the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust. The EcoQuest Education Foundation has been involved with the Maungatautari project since its beginnings. Matt is on the science committee of the Trust, and EcoQuest students have the exciting opportunity to take part in, and contribute to, a high profile mainland island project.
Related links: Environment Waikato Regional Council, Auckland Regional Council, and Miranda Shorebird Centre