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Parenting 101 with our rarest bird
With a population of 40, every fairy tern/tara iti egg and chick counts. So every summer, a small team of dedicated rangers and volunteers go into full alert at the slightest hint of a summer storm, or king tide, in order to protect our most endangered bird.
Recently, the team saved one chick from certain death, taking on the role of both Mum and Dad to help the chick survive. From emulating an environment where the chick could learn to hunt and be independent, to becoming portable field brooders sharing body heat to warm the chick up!
First World Albatross Day
We celebrated the first ever World Albatross Day on 19 June. Check out these cool pieces of albatross content:
Video: DOC
Celebrating 40 years with Nora the kākāpō
It’s been 40 years since Nora the kākāpō was found on Stewart Island/Rakiura.
Nora is the wonderful matriarch of the Wind Dynasty of kākāpō and can claim many grandchicks and great grandchicks, including Sirocco. She was the first kākāpō to be observed nesting in probably over 100 years.
Image: Jake Osborne | DOC
Recreation
New booking system live for huts and campsites
DOC’s 950 huts and 200 campgrounds are situated across the country in some of Aotearoa’s most scenic spots.
Our new booking system is live for bookable huts and campsites excluding Great Walks. Make your new account and start planning those getaways.
Image: Stephen Wynne-Jones | ©
Record numbers book Great Walks
We had record results for the first week that Great Walk bookings opened, an increase of 36%.
While hut spaces on the walks are already at 75% capacity, there are still opportunities if you are happy to camp or be flexible with your dates.
Image: Jason Blair | ©
Wandering kiwi on the Heaphy Track
American visitors Trent Burns and partner were recently tramping the Heaphy Track in Kahurangi National Park, ticking it off their bucket list.
To their great fortune they came across a great spotted kiwi/roroa rustling up some grub during the day! Check out this amazing footage.
Video: Trent Burns | ©
Get involved
Let Nature In with Benji
Benji is an educator at DOC with his own mini YouTube series sharing fun new ways to explore nature in your backyard.
Enjoy these great activities for the whole family to let nature in.
Video: DOC
Thanks volunteers!
Recently we celebrated National Volunteer Week and our volunteering team wanted to shine a light on some of Volunteer Facilitator Daniel Jephson's awesome mahi.
For Daniel, the theme Te Hua o te Mahi Tahi – the benefit of working together – is at the core of everything he does.
Image: Daniel Jephson | ©
5 Reasons why Kiwis should explore their backyard
Our world has changed so much, with international travel restrictions and overseas backyards unwillingly displaying their 'temporarily closed' signs.
What do we do and where do we go for our amazing adventures? Well, here are 5 reasons why Kiwis should explore their backyards, now more than ever.
Image: Ashlyn Oswalt | ©
Our work
Floods in Fiordland and climate change
Back in February, Fiordland experienced an extreme rainfall event with at least 380 people stranded and 440 km of walking tracks damaged.
Read about what happened, how these events are changing, and how we can work to proactively adapt to remain resilient in the face of climate change.
Image: DOC
Tribute to Neo the whio dog
We're paying tribute to a legend in New Zealand conservation, much-loved native animal protector and all-round good boy Neo, who's sadly passed away.
The German shorthaired pointer was one of only a few dogs certified to find more than one species of native animal, including blue duck/whio, as well as petrel, weka, kiwi and even tuatara.
Image: ©
Why do we need to be Predator Free?
The goal is to eradicate rats, possums and stoats from Aotearoa by 2050. It'll take a lot of hard work, money, research, collaboration and commitment across generations of Kiwis. So why is it necessary?
Brent Beaven, Programme Manager of Predator Free 2050, talks about our unique species, their history and why it’s so important we protect them.
Image: Peta Carey | ©
Nature
Baby boom for rare skinks
In 2016, frequent storms threatened the natural habitat of the critically endangered cobble skink.
We salvaged all 34 of the remaining individuals to establish a captive population as insurance against extinction. They are now breeding well at Auckland Zoo.
Image: ©
New protection for dolphins
The Minister of Fisheries and Minister of Conservation announced recently that extensive new protections are being put in place as part of an updated plan to look after New Zealand’s native Hector’s and Māui dolphins.
With only around 15,000 Hector's and about 63 Māui dolphins left, we need to act now to ensure they are there for future generations.
Image: DOC
Returning takahē to the wild: lessons learned
Two years ago, the Takahē Recovery Team made the first step towards what has not been done before: to re-establish a new wild population in the Kahurangi National Park.
With the lessons learned, the team expects to reach the milestone of 500 takahē next year and will continue to push towards reaching the ultimate goal of returning takahē to the wild.
Image: Jake Osborne | ©
Image: Ian Sara
Photo of the month
Not all heroes wear capes ... you may recall a story from last year about a truckie who was driving along a remote road in North Taranaki, when a kerfuffle beside the road caught his eye.
He slammed on his brakes, jumped out of his truck and rescued a kiwi that was being viciously attacked by a stoat.
His encounter last year has come full circle and recently Alan Pennington was reunited with the bird he named Papa, before releasing the recuperated Western North Island brown kiwi into the Rotokare Scenic Reserve near Eltham.
"It's good to see him go back to the natural wild and he can start fending for himself. Get out there in the wild and get his own tucker and make himself a home."
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