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Published: August 14th 2007
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“Conservation in New Zealand is all about killing animals” stated our wildlife guide on the trip to the Otago peninsula, a short drive from Dunedin city. Bizarrely, it seems, the conservation focus of New Zealand is mainly that of killing and eradication of numerous animals and plants, our guide explained. To all instincts this seems wrong, and you start wondering if the Kiwis have actually got a different dictionary definition of the word 'conservation' to the rest of the world. When walking in the National parks you are unlikely to see cute rabbits, instead the paths are lined with traps. Hitting a possum with your car is seen as a national duty. Poison is dropped from planes into the parks to kill practically all wildlife. Stray cats are at greater risk of being shot than being fed by the locals. And why? Well, all this is to try and protect the native species from all those that have been introduced since man landed on New Zealand shores.
Mammals were not a big feature of the native NZ. There are plenty around - cows, sheep, rabbits, cats, possums, even llamas and deer, but all are imported. Even the rats. The only
Sense of scale
Gives an idea of how big a 3m wingspan is. And for those who like a laugh can just look at me - so sexy! Sense of scale
Gives an idea of how big a 3m wingspan is. And for those who like a laugh can just look at me - so sexy!native mammal species are bats and marine mammals. This lack of mammals filling niches on the ground meant that NZ was unique in filling the forest floors, rather than skies, with birds. Without the common predators the birds had no need of flying, so they either didn’t bother developing flight muscles, or let them waste away.
These strategies worked pretty well for thousands of years until about 800 yrs ago when the first Maori started arriving. Then the flightless birds suddenly found that the 2 appendages by the sides would perhaps have been better developed in other ways (flying, or at least holding weapons for example). The Maori decimated the birds - 35 species became extinct due to hunting. Then the Europeans arrived and the native animals suddenly had a whole host of other problems. The cows and sheep bought to farm led to the clearance of natural bush, rabbits and deer were bought to hunt, and the stoat brought to catch the rabbits when numbers exploded.. Unfortunately the stoats found the
Hungry chick
And a load of shags in the background birds and their eggs much easier than rabbits, so ate them instead. The possums introduced for their fur soon escaped and ate not only kiwi eggs, but
Hungry chick
And a load of shags in the backgroundalso the shooting buds of the ancient remaining bush. (Today it is estimated that the possums outnumber the sheep 2 to 1, approximately 75 million of them.) Consequently 7 more species have gone since the Europeans, cows, possums and rats arrived.
The flightless birds that remain - the Kiwi bird being probably one of the more famous, are now coming close to disappearing. The penguins are another flightless bird (both the world’s smallest blue penguin and the world’s rarest yellow-eyed penguin, call NZ home), despite being able to escape to the water. Instead they suffered from lack of suitable nesting ground when the sheep and cattle came along, and lost eggs to the stoats, possums and dogs.
The marine mammals that also happily populated NZ waters and beaches also soon came to regret the arrival of humans. The NZ fur seal was soon clubbed to the brink of extinction, and the large NZ sea lion, unused to fear of other creatures quite
Albatross chick
This isn't a real chick by the way, just gives an idea of the actual size happily came up to investigate the new bipods, and rarely made it back to warn others of the danger. The whales were doing pretty well until Europeans showed up, and then whaling stations soon made them
Albatross chick
This isn't a real chick by the way, just gives an idea of the actual sizepretty rare too. However with the conservation boom of the past 20 years or so some improvements are being seen.
One of the few non-endemic species that has been welcomed to the peninsula is the Royal albatross. Nesting nowhere else on mainland anywhere in the world these huge birds discovered the delights of New Zealand only within the past 100 years. Since 1935 the birds nesting here has grown from just one pair to over 120 birds. Generally they mate for life, but one old girl at the age of 40 is with her 3rd partner. Not that faithful you say, until you find out that after the first died she quickly found a younger bird. When he failed to live up to expectations she found another guy. He died as well, and so she went back to the 2nd partner. If only humans were as
The Otago Peninsular
Consciencious farmers allow the beach nesting sites to be fenced off from the cattle and sheep, and set traps for stoats and rats monogamous.
So with all the trapping, poisoning, HBCs and shooting, the native wildlife is slowly making a comeback on the peninsular. I went to spy on the albatross chicks - at a hefty 9 kgs (20lbs) they’re not so adorable, but the parents are certainly impressive. With a wingspan of almost 3m,
The Otago Peninsular
Consciencious farmers allow the beach nesting sites to be fenced off from the cattle and sheep, and set traps for stoats and ratsthey are the largest of the sea birds, and only come in to land when they nest every other year -true travellers!
The male sea lions were showing off & arguing on the beach when we went down, and barely noticed us walk past. Further along we sat in a hide and watched the rare yellow-eyed penguins come ashore for the night. They are ridiculous cute, and watching them waddle up the beach, greet each other, and climb up the rocky hill makes me understand (sort of) why all the current penguin movies are so popular right now.
The fur seals lying on the rocks looked at us with suitably big black eyes - you would have to be pretty
Large male sealion
Just making his way ashore...slowly
hard hearted to take a club to one of them. And with the sun setting behind the hills we left the wildlife to continue their lives as money-makers for the invading human species. Fortunately for them, today the money is in tourism rather than meat. Just pity the poor bunnies who aren’t endangered…
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Kate
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Love the albatross photo - ok so there are lots but the one at the beginning - and you managed a sunset too! See you soon. Maybe it'll be the All Blacks mighty thighs on offer next blog?!