Ulva Island Trust, New Zealand

Ulva Island is an open sanctuary of international biodiversity importance. It hosts such rare plants in the wild as Gunnera hamiltonii, Euphorbia glauca, and native birds such as Brown Creeper (Pipipi, Mohoua ochrocephala), Rifleman (Titi pounamu, Acanthisitta chloris chlori), Stewart Island Brown Kiwi (Tokoeka, Apteryx australis lawryi) and Yellowhead (Mohua, Mohoua achrocephala). Ulva Island is one of only two scientific reserves in all of New Zealand open to the public (the other being Tiritiri Matangi near Auckland). Dancing Star Foundation was pleased to be able to support two re-publications of the important guide to Ulva Island, written and produced by the Ulva Island Charitable Trust.

For more information:

> New Zealand Department of Conservation official website

> Ulva Island Bird Sanctuary Guided Walks website

> Elwin Productions, Natural History Filmmaking and Photography

> Stewart Island News Kakapo Encounter website

Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust Fund

A 5-year project, 2003 – 2008, was initiated in response to an observed decline in the number of breeding pairs of yellow-eyed penguins. Surveys in the early 1990’s estimated there to be ~600 breeding pairs on and around Stewart Island, but the Trust’s own comprehensive population census work in 1999 – 2002 found only ~200 breeding pairs. Also observed were a low number of juveniles and a large number of unexplained chick deaths which were of significant concern. Identifying the problem will provide the relevant guidance for ongoing management of this threatened species.

The Trust is particularly interested in what happens to the chicks in their first month, and will be taking weights and measurements over this time. This will allow researchers to compare the growth rate of each chick with the expected normal growth rate. Assumptions can then be made about the food supply – if the growth rate is slower than normal right from hatching then the food supply may well be the main problem. If the growth rate begins well then slows later, it could be that disease is kicking in after a couple of weeks, which in turn causes the chicks to starve and growth to slow down.

In contrast to Year 4, which resulted in 0% breeding success in the monitored area on Stewart Island (the Anglem coast) and lower breeding success on the monitored off-shore islands than in previous years, 2009 was much better. Six chicks fledged from the Anglem coast. This is the best season of all during this study for these island groups, perhaps influenced by the spectacularly fine summer and La Nina weather patterns experienced this season. However, it is even more obvious that all is not well for the birds along the Anglem coast. Firstly, only 16 nests were located, compared to 32 nests which were found along the same stretch of coast during the Trust’s comprehensive survey of Stewart Island in 1999. That is a very disturbing statistic showing a considerable reduction in the number of breeding pairs over 9 breeding seasons.

Secondly, of the 25 chicks that hatched from those 16 nests, 19 died and only six survived to fledge. All of the chicks deaths occurred before Christmas, during the Guard Phase, and most chicks died within three weeks of hatching. No predation was recorded, but starvation and disease were once again evident as causes of chick death.

Of course, this alone won’t answer all of the questions, but with the continuation of other external research into the foraging behavior (i.e. where birds go to feed, how deep and how long their dives are) of birds on Stewart and Codfish Islands, more may be gleaned. Also The Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust Fund began a study of the penguins ‘diet, and a more detailed investigation into the disease aspect of these birds. Researchers are hopeful that the end result will be a lot more detailed information, and, hopefully, some answers.

The Trust is proposing to carry out a full survey of the Auckland Islands in order to obtain a clear picture of the status of yellow-eyed penguin nationally, and to obtain a baseline for future comparison of changes in distribution and abundance. However this research will have to wait until necessary funds have been raised.

For more information, and to Donate:

> The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust website

Dancing Star Ecological Preserve, New Zealand

In New Zealand, Dancing Star Foundation owns and maintains an ecological preserve which the Foundation created on the southern most island of Rakiura, or Stewart Island.

Comprising over 400 acres of hilly coastal land adjoining New Zealand’s most recently designated Rakiura National Park, the DSF Preserve can be divided into four distinct floral zones: Podocarp-broadleaf forest, coastal vegetation with an array of Coprosma, tree ferns and tree fuchsia, a small sphagnum-and-sedge wetland and pasture with sedges, bracken and various grasses. The forest is dominated by kamahi (Weimannia racemosa), rata (Metrosideros umbellate), rimu and miro trees. The coniferous rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) may live in excess of 500 years and grow to forty metres. The Preserve contains at least 126 native species, at least 11 native bird species and 7 known invertebrate species.

Among the many bird species found in the Preserve are Red-crowned Parakeets (Kakariki, Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae), Wood Pigeon (Kukupa or Keruru, Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae), parrots (Kaka, Nestor m.meridionalis), Tomtit (Ngiru-ngiru, Petroica macrocephala), Fantail (Piwakawaka, Rhipidura f. fulginosa), Bellbird (Korimako, Melanura anthornis), Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae), Grey Warbler (Riroriro, Gerygone igata), Silvereye (Tauhou, Zosterops lateralis lateralis) and Blue Penguins (Korora, Eudyptula minor).

The DSF Preserve constitutes what conservationists call a “mainland island.” A large portion of the refuge has been specially enclosed within an approximately 2.1 kilometer long state-of-the-art ecologically-engineered fence (designed by the internationally-famed New Zealand-based company, Xcluder) to help inhibit the movement into the sanctuary of non-native mammals which have a serious, negative impact upon indigenous life forms. An extensive grid of protections is in place, including electronic and video surveillance, with instant telephonic and satellite communication to a national network and a response team that can counteract any and all breaches. The Foundation is actively engaged in the ongoing monitoring of numerous fixed plots for re-vegetation, and continuous restoration of the Ecological Preserve. A team of top New Zealand scientists are advisory members for this exciting endeavor.

The refuge is not open to the public but is the sole domain of the wild biodiversity that dwells therein, watched over by dedicated staff members. Along with Ulva Island, this will be the only predator free piece of land on all of Stewart Island/Rakiura, and the first true place of safety for native species in 150 years on the Stewart Island mainland, New Zealand’s third largest island.

Other community and Department of Conservation efforts on the island indicate that, in time, the entirety of Stewart Island may well be free of non-native predators, making it one of the most globally important islands of biodiversity in the world. The biodiversity managers of Southland, and of Stewart Island, have embraced that vision.

And it is a vision that is, at least symbolically, a metaphor and true microcosm for the kind of research and goals embraced by DSF throughout the world.