25 October 2007

Campbell Island teal breeding programme ends

The last 10 Campbell Island teal are leaving Pukaha Mount Bruce tomorrow (Friday October 26)  to be released onto Codfish Island,  to help boost the genetic biodiversity of teal  there. This marks the end of a 23-year-captive breeding programme at Pukaha Mount Bruce.

The teal recovery programme started in 1984 after four birds were transferred to Mt Bruce from their refuge on 26ha rat-free Dent Island, 3km west of Campbell Island in the sub-Antarctic.  Prior to their discovery on Dent Island in 1972 the Campbell Island teal were thought to be extinct with only two birds having ever been recorded. The species had been decimated by rats which arrived to the island more than 200 years ago. In 2001 DOC carried out the world's largest rat eradication removing the last introduced predator from Campbell Island.

During 12 years in captivity the only breeding wild origin female Daisy reared 24 ducklings which in turn produced another 39, securing the future of the species. Around 160 birds have since been returned to Campbell Island from Pukaha Mount Bruce and Isaac Wildlife Trust's Peacock Springs Wildlife Park, Christchurch. Daisy died in 2002.

The birds are leaving Pukaha Mount Bruce between 7.30 am and 8 am tomorrow for Palmerston North, from where these flightless teal will be flown to Invercargill, at around 9.30 am They will arrive at Invercargill Airport at 1.15 pm and be taken to DOC's quarantine store in Eye Street,

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