New Forest & Bird magazine published

The May issue of Forest & Bird magazine is published today, introducing new Forest and Bird General Manager, Mike Britton, and reporting on new research findings, discoveries and conservation news including:

• photo of the first yellow kea seen in over 100 years

• the broken kiwi bill that grew back;

• latest breeding success for kiwi, kakapo and kokako;

• the hobbit-sized raptor that became New Zealand's 'Lord of the Wings';

• initial results from new at-sea tracking research on penguins and sea lions;

• the disease that killed hundreds of yellow-eyed penguins;

• the spread of the invasive marine pest undaria;

• and the discovery of persimmon brotula, a new species of fish from the Kermadec Islands.

Cover story "Saving the Ark" by Dave Hansford asks why DOC has had to struggle to find the resources to safeguard New Zealand's most threatened forest birds from hordes of hungry rats and stoats.

"Save the Albatross" reproduces the speech HRH The Prince of Wales gave on his recent visit to New Zealand in which he made a heartfelt plea for better protection of albatrosses and the oceans around us. "Subantarctic Seas" by Michael Szabo and Barry Weeber considers the importance of the seas around New Zealand's subantarctic islands for these majestic seabirds.

"Itinerant Ecologist" introduces a new series by Geoff Park. In his first piece, "Forests teeming with birds", he writes about his encounters with kereru in forests along Auckland's wild West Coast and finds a living connection with our past.

"Braided Rivers, Hidden Treasures" by Geoff Keey unravels some of the secrets of our wild braided South Island rivers, home to a special group of wading birds and freshwater fish. Behind the picture postcard image he finds they face an increasingly uncertain future as they come under increasing pressure from hydroelectric schemes and irrigation.

In "Captain Kermadec's Avian Isles" Brent Stephenson describes a recent visit to the Kermadec Islands where he not only found an exquisite world of coral trees and sublime seabirds, but also discovered a colourful new species of fish.

Stephanie Mills interviews conservation scientist Kath Walker for "Giants of Gondwana" and discovers the fascinating world of the Powelliphanta, New Zealand’s unique giants land snails that date back to Gondwanaland.

In "Living with Lizards" Ann Graeme gives some green-fingered tips on how to transform a garden into a haven for native skinks.

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