Rowi numbers on the increase
Monday, 31 July 2017
The Franz Josef 'kiwi team' are celebrating the reclassification of rowi, or Okaritio brown kiwi, as Nationally Vulnerable, moving up from Nationally Critical, and Marlborough plays an important role in their recovery.
Rowi are confined to a small area of lowland forest inland from Okarito in South Westland, and on a few predator free islands in the Marlborough Sounds.
As flightless, ground nesting, and smelly birds (no point beating around the bush), rowi are extremely susceptible to being preyed on by stoats, cats and dogs.
In most parts of the country, stoats are responsible for approximately half of kiwi chick deaths on the mainland. Without management only 10 per cent of kiwi chicks survive to the age of six months. Stoats are one of the three target species for the Predator Free 2050 campaign, and this can only be good for rowi.
In 1995 their population was estimated at only 160 birds. An intensive trapping trial did not produce the required results to prevent extinction, so Operation Nest Egg was developed. This programme sees rangers rescuing rowi eggs from nests, hatching them in captivity, and rearing the chicks on predator free islands until they reach approximately 1.2 kilograms, a weight where they are deemed capable of defending themselves against stoats.
The population has recently been estimated at approximately 450 individuals. This positive move is an uncommon occurrence for New Zealand's native fauna, so it is a huge success for the species and all those involved in its protection.
The achievement is mainly due to the success of Operation Nest Egg, a programme made possible through many vital partnerships. The West Coast Wildlife Centre begins the journey by incubating and hatching the eggs. Once at 3 to 4 weeks of age, the chicks are flown by Air New Zealand to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch. Here they began to care for themselves under close supervision, before making the big transition to either pest-free Motuara Island, or Kaipupu Point.
The birds are transported out to Motuara Island by E-Ko tours, who hold public viewing of rowi en-route to provide an opportunity for people to see them.
Kaipupu Point Sounds Wildlife Sanctuary is a community-run mainland island near Picton, and became a new creche site for rowi in 2016. The project works in collaboration with Port Marlborough and DOC. As kaitiaki of rowi, a taonga species, local iwi Te Atiawa, and Te Runanga o Makaawhio from South Westland, have ongoing involvement with the birds during these translocations.
Rowi remain at the sanctuaries until they reach a safe weight approximately one year later, after which they are translocated to their more permanent homes.
Last summer 22 birds were translocated back to South Westland and released into the North Okarito sanctuary. An additional 16 birds were translocated to Blumine Island in the Marlborough Sounds, where they now form a secondary population, providing additional protection for the survival of the species.
Chicks from the 2016/17 breeding season have already made their way up to Motuara Island and Kaipupu Point and are doing well. They are likely to return south in October.
In Okarito the 2017/18 breeding season has begun, and rangers have collected the first egg of the season. Between December and March, this chick, plus many more, will hopefully make their way up to the Marlborough Sounds also, so they can learn how to fend for themselves in relative safety.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and the rowi project is benefiting from this approach too.