Liz Brown/DOC
Kakī/black stilt are launched in the Tasman Valley, in the Mackenzie Basin last Thursday.
Almost 150 of among the world’s rarest bird types are adjusting to life in Te Manahuna/the Mackenzie Basin.
This month 143 sturdy kakī/black stilt have actually been launched in the Godley River, and the Tasman River and consist of juveniles from an essential female bird staying in captivity called Māwhero.
She had numerous clutches of chicks with a brand-new mate called Manunui, who she paired with in an impressive method, after unfortunately losing her very first partner Wiremu.
Department of Conservation (DOC) Kakī Recovery Programme Wild lead Claudia Mischler said the bird’s wild adult population depends on about 156 adult birds (not consisting of those simply launched), and was normally trending up in time, though it does vary.
“They [kakī] have had a long journey since the 1980s when they were down to 23 adults – they’ve come a long way now,’’ Mischler said.
Raised in captivity, the critically endangered birds were released in time for Conservation Week, from August 14-20.
The annual week celebrated conservation work across the country and encouraged people to take action for the environment.
Mischler said staff will provide the newly released subadult kakī with supplementary feeding for the next few weeks to help them settle into their new environment while they learn to fend for themselves.
She said the breeding programme was successful and work continued to improve the birds’ survival rates in the wild.
Kakī were vulnerable to introduced predators and extensive trapping took place across the Mackenzie Basin, including through the Te Manahuna Aoraki Project and Project River Recovery programmes, with support from landowners.
“An action people can take to help kakī is to be aware and take care if fishing or otherwise out on riverbeds, as kakī or other birds may be around – especially over summer months when birds are nesting.
“If there’s a bird nearby, and it seems to be annoyed, move on and give them space.”
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu kakī types representative Rynee de Garnham had actually been at kakī releases over the previous 5 years and said launching the birds for their very first flight outdoors was constantly an unique experience.
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
A kakī chick in 2018.
“Being able to see that, and watching the population increase, there’s nothing else like it,’’ de Garnham said.
She said it was important there were opportunities such as this for Ngāi Tahu whānau to engage and be better acquainted with the species, and to contribute to its success in the wild.
“My dream is for kakī to one day be found all across Aotearoa, and there will no longer be a need for the Kakī Recovery Programme.”
Captive raising for wild release occurs at DOC’s Twizel center and The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust in Christchurch.
One considerable bird kept in captivity is Māwhero, who originates from a family tree underrepresented in the wild which implies she was necessary for the hereditary variety of the types.
She was provided numerous suitors and initially partnered with a male called Wiremu. The set had an extremely effective very first breeding season however then Wiremu dropped dead due to cancer in February 2022, leaving Māwhero to raise the chicks on her own.
In November, a wild male kakī started spending time DOC’s captive breeding aviaries in Twizel. He was especially thinking about Māwhero so staff unlocked and let the male in, and they quickly formed a set.
Looking back at the records, it was identified the male, called Manunui, was among the birds initially trialled with Māwhero. Although they got along then, there did not appear to be any love in between them, so Manunui had actually been launched into the wild in January.
The brand-new couple were extremely effective this breeding season, raising numerous clutches of chicks, which implies Māwhero’s important genes were handed down and spread out into the wild.
