No Images? Click here A saxy start to the kākāpō breeding seasonBreeding is in full swing for kākāpō with an abundance of rimu berries, the revolutionary 'Smart Egg' and a joint campaign with Meridian to help set the mood. This summer is bound to be the "saxiest" one yet. The hunt for a saxy saxophonist has been successful with Piers Dashfield taking the winning spot. Piers hit the studio to record this season’s number one kākāpō love song, appropriately released today on Valentine's Day. Have you heard our new podcast?Marine species expert Hannah Hendriks talks whale strandings, post-mortems, and crucial data with podcast host Nic Toki - our Threatened Species Ambassador. Update from LouLou Sanson shares some of our stories, talks top priorities for 2019, thanks staff for their hard work over the holiday break and celebrates the environmental and conservation recipients from the 2019 New Year's Honours list. Get involvedWhat kind of explorer are you?Take our fun personality quiz to find out what kind of explorer you are: What should we do when we see litter bugs?It's hard to know what to do when someone forgets to value protecting our wildlife and being a tidy kiwi. Here are some of our top tips for next time you get bugged by a litter bug. VolunteerVolunteers play a vital part in conservation throughout New Zealand. Have a browse of our latest volunteering opportunities in your region. Image: Sustainable Coastlines | Creative Commons NatureArchaeological site exposed near GeraldineErosion damage at a Māori Rock Art site has given us the chance to help with a rare archaeological dig. The team have uncovered some interesting finds, hinting at life once lived there. Royal update from Pukekura/ Taiaroa HeadMum and the Royal Cam star are both doing well. The chick is growing rapidly, and the season is well under way. Join in the discussion and catch up on the latest news: World Wetlands Day 2019In celebration of World Wetlands Day on 2 February we took a look at the matuku/Australasian bittern. The birds are a potential indicator of wetland health as they're dependent on high quality and ecologically diverse habitats and rich food supplies. Our workWomen in science blogOn International Day of Women and Girls in Science we caught up with one of our awesome female scientists Dr Monique Ladds. "...science needs people from all kinds of backgrounds, and especially needs people who think differently." Read more on Monique's blog post. Fiordland kiwi diaries updateCommunity ranger Crystal Brindle went to help Tim and his team who are studying the population of kiwi at Shy Lake. Crystal shares her adventure of tracking and monitoring kiwi chicks. Cruise ships and seabirds don't mixBright lights on cruise ships are a risk to seabirds flying to and from their breeding colonies at night. The birds can become dazed by the lights resulting in many injured birds. We're working with the international cruise industry to help keep these birds safe. Image: Wikimedia Commons | Creative Commons RecreationAcheron Road closedThe Acheron Road through Molesworth Station is closed to the public due to extreme fire risk. No activity or hunting permits will be issued while the fire risk remains high and all existing permits are rescinded until further notice. Paul Mahoney: DOC Photo of the monthWeighing a healthy 28 g the first kākāpō chick is from Waikawa's first nest of the season. Kākāpō literally means 'parrot of the night' in Māori. The birds are exceptionally slow breeders, living at least 60 years, and don't breed every year. [Source: Te Ara] This year's high number of chicks will be the biggest boost to the critically endangered population on record. See more from DOC |