MEDIA RELEASE

DATE: 11 DECEMBER, 2012

Cold Spring Affects Kakapo Breeding

Hopes for a solid kakapo breeding season now look unlikely, following a cold southern spring.

Kakapo Recovery programme manager Deidre Vercoe Scott said indications from earlier in the year suggested a reasonable rimu fruit supply on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island this summer.

“We’ve spent the past few months preparing for up to 15 nests on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, but the latest data from the island suggests we may be looking at only several nests this season.”

It is most likely that the record cold, wet Southland spring had stopped the rimu fruit – which female kakapo feed to their chicks – from developing. It is thought female kakapo use the availability of the fruit as a cue for breeding, she said.

“Our rimu fruit count last month shows there has been a 67 percent decline in fruit abundance since it was last counted in February.
“Compare that to the 38 percent we lost after the big September snow in 2010 and it’s obvious the fruit has been hit hard.”

As a result, plans to recruit volunteers to mind the nests had been cancelled, Ms Vercoe Scott said.
“Luckily, all is not lost. There are some trees with good supplies and, if they’re located in a female’s home range, we’d still expect some nesting to occur.”

Part of the work being carried out by Kakapo Recovery involves trialling supplementary food pellets that scientists hope will be accepted by female kakapo, as an alternative to rimu, to feed their chicks. Several volunteers including workers from New Zealand Aluminium Smelters and Forest and Bird, key partners in Kakapo Recovery, would be assisting with the supplementary food trials this season, she said.

ENDS

For more information visit
http://www.kakaporecovery.org.nz
Conservation in partnership:
DOC’s kākāpō recovery work is actively supported by a partnership involving New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited and Forest & Bird.

First signed 22 years ago, the agreement is DOC’s longest running conservation partnership and has already injected more than $4 million towards breeding programmes, predator proof sanctuaries and innovative research for the flightless parrot.

Its long term kākāpō recovery goal is to have 150 females at three separate sites, one of which is self-sustaining.

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