Hybrid kiwi uncovered in genetic study
Untangling the whakapapa of our kiwi can be more complicated than you might think – and appearances can sometimes be deceptive. It seems even the experts can get it wrong. All of which means that our...
View ArticleTime to rethink the weka’s bad-boy image
Weka don’t tend to be the first bird chosen for reintroduction in recovering habitats. Their destructive and predatory tendencies make them controversial residents in restoration projects and they’ve...
View ArticleRobins return – but where are all the tomtits?
Is there such a thing as being too successful? A recent Fiordland study on the recovery of forest birds after longterm predator control and eradication shows that toutouwai/South Island robins,...
View ArticleNative frog behaviour surprises scientists
It might be time to update the textbooks and webpages on the Maud Island frog. It seems our odd little endemic amphibian might not be quite as dedicated to a ground-hugging life as experts have...
View ArticleRakiura skeleton helps solve ancient mystery
Could moa have once lived on Rakiura/Stewart Island? Moa bones have been found on Rakiura in the past, but nearly all of them have shown signs of butchering and been found in ancient Māori middens....
View ArticleSeabirds, disease, sanctuary islands
In modern covid times, we’re all very aware of how diseases can spread across borders through international air travel. Something similar could be happening with bird diseases and our kākāpõ, takahē...
View ArticleCombined control contains the key to whio population growth
A seven-year Department of Conservation study into combined predator control methods has revealed great news for the survival of our native whio (blue ducks). The findings show that 1080 used...
View ArticleKiwi translocations – are we doing it right?
Kiwi are the most translocated bird species in Aotearoa New Zealand and the number of new projects and released birds are steadily increasing, according to a recent report in the New Zealand Journal...
View ArticleRabbit control could help us towards a predator free future
Controlling introduced mammal predators can lead to an increase in native birds, lizards, and invertebrates – but could fewer predators also lead to an unwelcome increase in rabbits? You might expect...
View ArticleWhat if there were giant sponges that could mop up carbon, floods, and house...
Muggy, boggy and waiting to be drained – our past opinions on wetlands have not aged well. Wetland restoration could be vital to tackling biodiversity and climate change crises – here’s why. Wetlands...
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