On April 6 2005 The Windy Hill Rosalie
Bay Catchment Trust conducted the public release of 30 North Island
robins in their SE Great Barrier Island sanctuary area – the first bird
reintroduction on GBI. The event was a resounding success receiving
nationwide radio and television coverage. It was made possible by an
incredible amount of background work over many years and a steadfast
vision by the architects of the Trust. This work is a shining example
for conservation on GBI.
Background:
The last recorded sighting of a North Island Robin on Aotea Great
Barrier Island was in 1868 by a Frederick Hutton. Hutton was a
university professor and museum curator whose account of birds on the
island was recorded before the full impact of European colonisation.
Robins, along with the North Island Saddleback, and NZ Quail have not
been sighted since, despite field surveys in 1964, 1972, and 1975. The
spread of the rat, (both ship and kiore) likened to a grey tide sweeping
through our forests has taken its toll. Today, birds such as shore
plover, stitchbird, falcon, red and yellow-crowned kakariki, long tailed
cuckoo, bellbird, rifleman, whitehead, tomtit, and kokako are either
extinct or rare on the Island.
It has taken more than five years for the landowners
of the Little Windy Hill Company to bring their bush-clad property to a
relatively pest-free standard whereby a release of a species is
possible. Over 12,000 rats and 100 feral cats have been removed from the
Windy Hill and neighbouring Benthorn Farm pest management project areas.
A total of 250 hectares is currently intensively managed for pests by
the Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust.
Application to reintroduce a native species anywhere
in NZ is governed by the Department of Conservation to whom a
comprehensive application must be made. It covers aspects such as "who
are the people applying, and who will make up the project team to do the
capture, banding, and release? Why is there a need for a relocation and
how appropriate is it? What is hoped to be achieved and what will we
learn? Where will we source birds and what iwi will we need to consult
with? How will removal of birds affect that area? What will be the
impact if reintroducing a ‘new’ species on the existing bird
populations? How will we manage the disease risks to ensure we do not
inadvertently bring new diseases to the Barrier? How are we going to
move the birds? Do we have the approval of the tangata whenua fo
r
Aotea? How are we going to monitor the birds after release to ensure the
relocation has worked?"
A professional was employed to prepare this document.
Further to the application I consulted with the iwi for Aotea - the
Ngati Rehua–Ngati Wai Trust Board - who gave their blessing to the
return of the robins. Four iwi with an interest in Tiritiri Matangi were
also consulted. A permit to disease-screen a number of robins was
applied for and the local vet Anne Kernohan joined ornithologist Kevin
Parker at Tiritiri Matangi to take blood and faecal matter for
disease-screening.
Tim Lovegrove, a research scientist for the Auckland
Regional Council, was approached and agreed to lead the team. Tim,
responsible for an earlier capture and release from Tiritiri Matangi to
Wenderholm Regional Park north of Waiwera, was able to use his banding
permit for this capture and release. Birds are individually banded at
capture for easier identification and monitoring post release. Field
managers from Windy Hill and Benthorn Farm—Dean Medlands and Kevin
Parsons—spent a day with Tim at Wenderholm prior to the relocation to
become familiar with the birds by sight and sound and also to learn
monitoring techniques such as finding nest locations.
The release sites at Windy Hill and Glenfern
Sanctuary were visited by the Department of Conservation and the habitat
assessed for its suitability for the robins.
r
Aotea? How are we going to monitor the birds after release to ensure the
relocation has worked?"