Rare native ducks released at Awaroa in Abel Tasman National Park

Wednesday, 31 May 2017

The translocation of the rare native duck was part of Project Janszoon and DOC's work to restore the biodiversity of the Abel Tasman National Park.

A flock of rare native ducks have been released into the Abel Tasman National Park.

Twenty juvenile brown teal, or pateke, were released on Monday as part of a translocation by Project Janszoon and the Department of Conservation (DOC), at the Hadfield Clearing release site on the banks of the lower Awapoto River, at Awaroa.

Pippa Struck from Golden Bay High School releases a pateke.

The area is the South Island's second only mainland site where the brown teal are found.

It was once the most widespread and abundant water bird found in New Zealand. However, introduced predators and loss of habitat has meant only about 2000 - 2500 are left, mostly in the North Island.

The translocation was part of Project Janszoon and DOCs work to restore the biodiversity of the Abel Tasman National Park.

Northland iwi Ngatiwai elder Hori Parata and CEO Kris MacDonald were both present.

Manawhenua ki Mohua representative John Ward Holmes said: 'It is wonderful to have pateke back in our rohe.'

Project Janszoon communication director Robyn Janes said Ngatiwai representatives handed the birds for release over to Project Janszoon Youth Ambassadors from Golden Bay High School and Motupipi Primary School.

'Ngatiwai representatives said to them, 'you will be the guardians responsible for these birds one day', and it was a really nice moment; you could tell the kids were really chuffed,' she said.

Pateke Recovery Group captive co-ordinator Kevin Evans said around 20 breeders raised the ducks in captive breeding facilities from Dargaville to Invercargill.

The juvenile pateke were then taken to Peacock Springs in Christchurch where they were 'pre-release conditioned'.

'At Peacock Springs, the birds have been kept in an aviary with an environment as close to the wild as possible and they have been trained to use the automatic feeders that we will set up at the release site,' he said.

'I believe Hadfield Clearing is well-suited to pateke and they should enjoy exploring their new location.'

The release site is located in an area with an intensive stoat trapping network that now encompasses 80 per cent of the national park.

He said a feral cat trapping programme has been undertaken to provide a safe habitat for the brown teal.

Project Janszoon director Devon McLean said the birds would be closely monitored. If they thrive, up to 300 could be released at the site over seven years, he said.

'Like any translocation, there is always a risk the birds might disperse from their new environment, however, we will be monitoring these pateke closely so we will quickly know if there are any issues and how we can best address them,' he said.

DOC biodiversity ranger John Henderson said the birds feed on pasture and invertebrates in the upper margins of estuaries so it is likely they would forage throughout the Awaroa Inlet.

'We have taken every precaution to protect the birds from predation but would ask visitors to the area to advise either DOC or Project Janszoon if they see feral cats,' he said.

'A single dog can also kill many pateke so please, can hunters and local bach owners keep any dogs under control so the ducks have a chance to establish in the park.'

The public can report any sightings through the free Abel Tasman smartphone app. Just search for 'Abel Tasman' in your Google Play or App store.