Jen Germano and Sirocco the kakapo on Maud Island, Marlborough Sounds

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter

It’s been a busy past few months, for those of you in the field involved with translocations and call count surveys and for us here at the Kiwi Recovery Group.

Over the past few months, we have sponsored two kiwi hui - one was the annual hui which was held in Queenstown and the other was held at Waikaremoana to focus on iwi, hap , and whan u led projects. Both of these were a huge success. It was wonderful to see the passion and enthusiasm of the folks that turned out and gave me a great opportunity to meet many of you in person for the first time since I’ve started my role as Kiwi Recovery Group leader. In this newsletter, we’ll be sharing some of the highlights from these two meetings. We have also moved away from producing dvds of the annual kiwi hui, so for those of you who weren’t able to attend, all of the presentations can now be found online with details for this on the Kiwis for kiwi events section of this issue.

Many of you are aware of the delivery review which DOC underwent last year. This has led to a number of changes within the department, which has in turn affected not only our DOC employees and projects but many of you who interact with the Department as partners, which has resulted in some frustrations with permits and the loss of staff who have been valuable contacts in the past. Geoff Ensor’s talk at the Kiwi Hui addressed some of these issues. Though we will continue to work through adjustments to the new structure, there have been a couple of happenings here that will directly affect kiwi projects on the ground. These include the establishment of the new Community Conservation Partnerships Fund and the fact that non-for-profit groups no longer need to pay a processing fee when applying for a Wildlife Act permits.

In this issue, we will be talking about two topics which come up repeatedly with the Recovery Group for technical advice- set heights for possum traps and translocations. The first of these is

technical advice and best practice surrounding the trap heights used for possum traps. Many of you have seen the devastating effect a trap can have on a kiwi or other ground dwelling bird, either first hand or via photos such as the one recently posted on the Kiwis for kiwi facebook page. DOC best practice and the advice given by the Kiwi Recovery Group on the raising of set traps 70 cm off the ground has not changed and Craig Gillies, predator scientist and KRG member, goes into further detail about this in a piece he has written for this newsletter.

Translocations are often one of the topics that are at the top of many groups’ objectives and providing technical advice on these does occupy a large amount of the Kiwi Recovery Group’s time. As translocations are a complex management technique that can have long lasting impacts, both good and bad, it is extremely important that these are used with care and that good technical input is considered. I talk about some of these issues on page 6.

Just a final comment, due to the volume of advice requests that come in to the Recovery Group, we have started monthly meetings that occur at the end of each month. If you do put in a request for advice or a permit application that needs Kiwi Recovery Group input, please consider this as we will try to respond to everyone in as timely a manner as possible. As many of the projects and activities are quite complex, it does take time to provide the high quality recommendations needed to ensure that kiwi conservation activities are provided with the best technical advice possible.

As always, best of luck in all your kiwi endeavours!

In This Newsletter

2 Whanau, Hapu and Iwi in Conservation Hui

Learning from kiwi handling mishaps

3 Traps for possum control

4 Kiwis for kiwi™ Events

5 Kiwi Recovery Group guidelines for the appropriate handling of kiwi for advocacy

6 Translocations: Moving birds towards a better future

Contact me Jen Germano - jgermano@doc.govt.nz

Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2014

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter : Issue 2 1

Whan u, Hap and Iwi in Conservation HuiThis hui was held over the 24th – 26th of March and was generously hosted by the Lake Waikaremoana Hap Restoration Trust at Te Waimako Marae. The kaupapa of the hui was whakawhanaungatanga between kaitiaki M ori a those working in close collaboration with Tangata Whenua on Conservation matters. It was a much needed hui as many of the participants involved were feeling quite isolated. This was a great opportunity for them to meet with others doing similar work. The lack of contact between projects made it hard for people to network and to support each other. It was a great networking opportunity.

People working with kiwi were strongly represented at the hui, however, the hui had a broad kaupapa beyond just kiwi conservation. Kaitiakitanga in the modern world faces many of the same problems, such as funding, governance and training.

The hui was a mix of talks, field trips, practical sessions and korero. Following the success of this year’s hui, it is envisaged that this event will now become a yearly fixture and that in future years the hui will travel the motu.

The hui brought people together people from Northland, Taranaki, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Whanganui, Coromandel and Te Uruwera. In total approximately 80 people attended the hui.

Thanks must go to Ng Whenua R hui (M tauranga Kura Taiao Fund), the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Te Puni K kiri, and Te Papa Atawhai, for their generous support .

Joe Harawira with thanks to Morgan Cox, Kaitautoko Kaupapa Kiwi, Kiwis for kiwi and Tina Wagner (Lake Waikaremoana Hapu Trust) for all their hardwork in organizing this event

Learning from kiwi handling mishapsBy Wendy Sporle

Despite the fact that kiwi handlers have been trained to carry out best practice and to handle kiwi in the safest manner, sometimes mishaps occur. If this does happen while catching or handling a kiwi, firstly ensure the kiwi is given the appropriate first aid for the injury. Kiwis for kiwi has produced a handout card on kiwi first aid which can be carried in backpacks or field vehicles. The kiwi must then be taken to the Department of Conservation office, captive facility or treatment facility so a more comprehensive assessment can be carried out and the appropriate treatment and rehabilitation be delivered. Once the kiwi has been cared for it is important that the information about the incident, in the form of a short report, is passed on to Wendy Sporle (kiwendi@xtra.co.nz) for the Kiwi Recovery Group so we can all learn from the situation. If the kiwi dies there are specific forms available to record kiwi deaths. The new Best Practice Manual makes a requirement to submit annual reports from all kiwi accredited handlers and the inclusion of this mishap should be included there also.

Call count monitoring A reminder if you have completed call count monitoring this year using the Kiwi call scheme template to send your results to Hugh Robertson of the Department of Conservation as this information is vital to understanding the current range and density of kiwi populations

Hugh Robertson hrobertson@doc.govt.nz Department of Conservation PO Box 10420 Wellington 6143

Hugh Robertson with a Great Spotted Kiwi. Photo care of Dave Buckton (DOC)

Approved now AccreditedIn the upcoming Best Practice Manual those kiwi practitioners that have been signed off to handle kiwi will now be known as Accredited Kiwi handlers, this is to further acknowledge the formal training that is required before you are able to handle kiwi in the wild or in captivity.

Team photo taken at the conclusion of the Whanau, Hapu and Iwi in Conservation Hui. Photo provided by Isabel Castro.

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter : Issue 2 2

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter

Traps for possum control are to be set at a height of 70cm in areas where kiwi are present.By Craig Gillies

In some parts of New Zealand kiwi continue to be caught and injured in ground-set leg-hold traps for possums (see www.facebook.com/Kiwisforkiwi - bird caught in trap). The Kiwi Recovery Group thought it might be timely to remind practitioners that all traps for controlling possums are to be set at a height of 70cm in areas where kiwi are present. This is stipulated in the current standard DOC trapping permit and the ‘TBfree New Zealand’ National permit. The current practice of raising traps to 70cm was specifically developed in response to concerns that ground birds, in particular kiwi and weka, were being caught in ground-set traps, resulting in often fatal injuries. For some ideas on setting ‘kiwi safe’ traps see http://www.kiwisforkiwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/030.032-Avoid-kiwi-when-trapping-info-doc1.pdf

In relation to this, the Kiwi Recovery Group has recently been asked to provide comment on proposals to issue permits that would allow for raised possum traps to be set at heights of 35cm where kiwi are present. Whilst traps set at that height undoubtedly reduce the chances of kiwi being caught by the leg, there is still a risk they could get caught by the beak.

Kiwi use their beak to explore their surroundings, and with an average height of c.40cm they could trigger traps set 35cm off the ground. Beak captures are likely to lead to the beak breaking apart, in which case, birds may not be found at the trap site despite the injuries being fatal. Beak captures have been reported for ground and slightly raised traps, but no information is available about how frequently this occurs. A rigorous assessment of the risk to kiwi of traps set at 35cm height needs to be undertaken (e.g. in a captive environment or in wild populations, using non-functional traps) before the Kiwi Recovery Group could endorse setting traps at such a height. When such data are available, we can re-evaluate our position.

Currently, the Kiwi Recovery Group endorses the DOC standard requiring raised possum traps to be set at a height of 70cm in areas where kiwi are present. Furthermore, we do not support any variations to trapping permits that would allow raised possum traps to be set at heights less than 70cm in areas where kiwi are present.

Kiwi in trap mimiwhangata area. Courtesy of the Department of Conservation

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter : Issue 2 3

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter

Funding announcements update For those groups that applied for funding to Kiwis for kiwi for the 2014 -15 funding round you will be receiving letters mid-August confirming whether or not you have received funding and to what level you will be funded. Kiwis for kiwi regrets how drawn out this process has been this year as confirmation had to be delayed due to situations beyond our control.

Save Kiwi Week 20-26th October The second annual national fundraising campaign run by Kiwis for kiwi is scheduled for 20-26th October. We’re planning a campaign themed around our national pride and how integral kiwi are to our national identity. It is a great time for you to plan a local activity in your community in order to take part. We’ll be communicating more out to you as the time draw nears but mark your calendars!

Fight for Kiwi Was an even bigger success than last year! The event took place on 18 July at Auckland Boxing Association with 20 keen volunteers going 3 rounds in the boxing ring to raise money for kiwi. On the night Kiwis for kiwi were presented with a cheque for 40,000 dollars and with donations still coming in the final tally is close to $50,000 raised to support kiwi conservation. To check out the final amounts raised and some humorous fundraising pages, click here or copy and paste the following link: http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/fundraise/event.aspx?id=1210&apid=31974

Run for kiwi - Auckland Marathon Kiwis for kiwi is a Golden Charity for the Auckland Marathon (1 November). In exchange for fundraising for Kiwis for kiwi, entrants receive a free entry, a Kiwis for kiwi running top, training guides and support and a great team environment. We are stoked that our former Kiwi Recovery Group leader Avi Holzapfel has chosen to run for us. Check out how our runners are doing or make a donation here: http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/TeamKiwisforKiwiAuckland/

Kiwi Hui - Queenstown This year the hui was held over the 10th - 11th of April at Lakeland Christian Camp just out of Queenstown. We had over 70 people in attendance, with discussion and presentations focused on the conservation of South Island kiwi species and Little Spotted kiwi. For the first time we are making the hui presentations available online, they can be viewed at the following link: http://vimeopro.com/nakedidv/national-kiwi-hui-queenstown-2014/page/1

Cheque Presentation from the Organising Committee From (left to right) Jamie Sanderson, Michelle Impey (Kiwis for kiwi) Hannah Miles, Warren Sare

Fight Night

DOC Skillable

The Department of Conservation has put together their own youtube channel where you can learn everything from setting a possum trap to using a data logger. Check it out at the following link https://www.youtube.com/user/DOCskillable

KIWIS FOR KIWI EVENTS

DOC Skillable

The Department of Conservation has put together their own youtube channel where you can learn everything from setting a possum trap to using a data logger. Check it out at the following link https://www.youtube.com/user/DOCskillable

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter : Issue 2 4

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter

Kiwi Recovery Group guidelines for the appropriate handling of kiwi for advocacyWe are just including these guidelines in again as there seems to be some misinterpretation among kiwi practitioners that the Kiwi Recovery Group is banning the handling of kiwi by unaccredited handlers – this is not the case at all.

We understand how providing an opportunity for the public to experience seeing a live wild kiwi provides that opportunity to ‘touch people’s hearts’ and enhance the desire to make a difference, or from a positive encounter, to put pressure on family, friends and neighbours to change their behaviours. This is especially valuable when advocating for dog control, and with foresters and landowners who may require an additional level of motivation. Close encounters with kiwi are also an important way of rewarding project members carrying out trapping, tree planting or doing advocacy to protect their kiwi. Increasingly, these encounters can assist with thanking and profiling sponsorship support for local projects, generating news stories and associated conservation messaging, and can be used to generate funds and gain additional supporters for kiwi projects.

So to reassure, the guidelines for the appropriate handling of kiwi for advocacy written by the Kiwi Recovery Group still allow for:

• Individuals or small groups of the people (no more than 10) may attend and observe routine health checks and transmitter changes on kiwi if those birds are handled by an experienced Approved Handler as part of their husbandry requirements (transmitter change, health checks, BNZ Operation Nest Egg work).

• During any management or media event, a priority should be made to have Approved Handlers handle the birds. If necessary, one unapproved holder per bird can be instructed and strictly supervised by a nearby Approved Handler who is free to assist immediately if necessary. To help reduce stress placed on the animals, multiple inexperienced people should not be holding birds. Extra care should be taken with children. The Approved Handler must be confident that if a child is involved as the one unapproved holder, that he/she is competent and that the handler is able to assist immediately if necessary. All precautions must be taken to help ensure a safe experience for both the bird and the child.

All that the Kiwi Recovery group ask is that if the birds are to be handled or management opportunities arise where birds are used for advocacy, then the following guidelines apply.

• Kiwi in the wild (with or without a transmitter) should not be taken out of a burrow solely for the purpose of allowing someone to see it.

• Where the occasion is appropriate (e.g., at kiwi releases, health checks) members of the public may touch or gently stroke the kiwi, but not on its head or bill. This needs to be carefully managed by the Approved Handler, and should be allowed only if the handler has confidence that the kiwi will not experience increased stress (each individual bird is different), and that its welfare will not be compromised. The time the bird is exposed to this stress should be limited to 20 minutes of handling total (including handling necessary for management i.e. transmitter change).

• Outside of BNZ Operation Nest Egg releases, chicks in the wild should not be used as advocacy birds because they have enough to contend with to survive without the extra pressure of repeated handling for advocacy purposes.

• When advertising a close encounter with a kiwi, this must include a statement that the person is not guaranteed to be able to see or touch a kiwi. The welfare of the kiwi needs to be always the first priority.

These guidelines are an interim document that are applicable until the updated Best Practice Manual is released later this year, which will contain a full chapter on using kiwi in advocacy. The full set of interim guidelines can be on the Kiwi Practitioners under resources and documents:

http://www.kiwisforkiwi.org/kiwipractitioners

Photo courtesy of Mataia Restoration Project

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter : Issue 2 5

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter

Translocations: Moving birds towards a better futureBy Jen Germano

Translocations. What do you think of when you hear the word? Images of crowds of people, excited and enthusiastic, watching as a bird is released into its new home. Black robins or kakapo, some of New Zealand’s most endangered endemic birds saved from extinction by translocation to predator-free offshore islands. What about an island where the birds are now inbred and reproductive issues are starting to pop up? Or a translocated population of endangered frogs that instinctively left their new site and travelled all the way back to their original home, many of them not surviving the journey along the way?

Translocations offer us a powerful tool for the management of endangered species, especially in cases where the original cause of decline can be removed or is absent at the release site. However, the long term implications could be either positive or negative. Translocations are an experimental technique, not a proven tool, and reintroduction biology is still a developing field. As a management tool, translocations carry considerable risk and are influenced by many biological complexities. Though many people see a photo of an animal being released into the wild, few people are aware of the work, thought, planning, and subsequent monitoring that goes on behind the scenes for a well-carried out release. In most cases, even though people may think of translocations first when it comes to our conservation toolbox, other techniques and wider habitat management will actually be more cost-effective and lower risk when it comes to achieving most conservation goals.

Kiwi on the move

Translocations and the Kiwi Recovery Group

Translocations are one of the most common topics that come to the Kiwi Recovery Group for technical advice and feedback. As the Group’s expertise covers many areas such as kiwi biology, genetics, predator science, iwi relations, reintroduction biology, captive/BNZONE issues, hands-on management, best practice, monitoring, and advocacy among others, we are able to provide technical advice to help determine whether a translocation is feasible and if it is, can help to ensure that the project can incorporate the relevant feedback to increase its chances of success. Also, because we coordinate kiwi conservation on a national level, we are able to link projects to the wider strategic goals that are helping us move towards saving all five kiwi across New Zealand for generations to come. Kiwi conservation requires a shared effort and by coordinating the work of community groups, captive institutions, and DOC we have a far better chance of making long-lasting changes on a national scale!

Some Common Themes to Consider

There are a number of factors that the Kiwi Recovery Group takes into consideration when giving advice about whether a translocation should go ahead or how a project could be improved to increase its chance of long-term success or integrate in with wider conservation efforts. The following topics include just a few of these issues.

Kiwi Biology

The main driver in all of our work should be doing what is best for kiwi conservation in a way that keeps the health and welfare of our birds as priority. For this reason, it is essential that our actions and plans are made keeping kiwi biology in mind. Factors such as timing captures and releases to be outside of the nesting and breeding season are just one example of this. Following the Kiwi Best Practice Manual (see link below; an updated version will be released later this year), advice from the Kiwi Recovery Group, and speaking to experienced kiwi practitioners will ensure that plans are created with the best interest of the birds at the forefront.

Genetics

Everyone has heard jokes about inbreeding. In reality though, this is no laughing matter. Inbreeding can have serious impacts on the long-term viability of small isolated populations. The loss of genetic diversity can lead to a loss of fitness due to inbreeding depression (i.e. decreased reproductive output or the appearance of harmful recessive traits) and a decreased ability of a population to adapt to environmental change. To help avoid these situations, it is critical that translocations are carried out with sufficient numbers of founding birds with a diverse genetic background (i.e. using unrelated birds as much as possible). It is also important that the release site is of a large enough size or is connected to other populations so that birds can continue to breed and mix with the wider kiwi population, allowing for continued gene flow.

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter : Issue 2 6

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter

If you still think that a translocation is desirable for your situation, Kiwis for kiwi and the Northland Kiwi Forum has put together a basic outline of the aspects which must be planed and recommended process to follow when considering a kiwi translocation (see link below). This should be your first port of call to investigate whether your group is ready to contemplate a translocation. Discuss within your group whether this is the best avenue for your conservation efforts, and if so, whether you are at the right stage for a translocation and whether you have the resources to carry out a release and the necessary post-release monitoring and management. The next step would be to contact your local DOC office to start discussing your proposal and a DOC ranger will work with you to send an initial proposal to the Kiwi Recovery Group for advice.

Additionally, the Kiwi Recovery Plan outlines the five kiwi species as well as the genetically distinct provenances (taxa) of brown kiwi and tokoeka. As this genetic distinctness between species and taxa is natural and not due to recent human-induced habitat fragmentation, we should not mix birds between these groups. To read more detail about the genetic management of kiwi, see our past newsletter (Issue 2, 2012; link below).

Addressing the Causes of Decline

One of the most important things to consider when undertaking a translocation is that the original cause of decline is addressed. In most cases for New Zealand, this means ensuring that adequate predator control is in place. A pest control programme based on best practice management of pests and predators must have been implemented and monitored on site for at least three years, unless it is a pest free site (e.g. island site or predator fenced). A dog control plan also needs to be in place to minimise this threat and may include kiwi avoidance training for hunting and working dogs. The safest option, especially for pet dogs, is to avoid any possible encounter by keeping them away from kiwi areas. Furthermore, carrying out a translocation is a long-term commitment and the work does not end on release day. Pest and dog control must carry on post-release for translocated kiwi to continue to survive and reproduce.

Iwi and stakeholder consultation

Prior to undertaking a translocation, all stakeholders need to be consulted and made aware of the plans. This can take a great deal of time and shouldn’t be underestimated. The best advice we can give is to start talking to iwi and other stakeholders early. This includes involving the local wh nau, hap and iwi at both the sites where the kiwi are coming from and going to. The long-term plans for managing the new translocated population need to be clear to everyone up front so that there are no surprises down the track when birds may need to be moved for genetic management, continued pest control or monitoring is necessary, or if adaptive management needs to be brought in at a later stage if things do not go as planned. There needs to be a working dialogue between all involved parties along the way so that everyone can work together to do what is best for the birds while offering the most benefits possible and levels of participation and involvement that everyone is happy with.

How To Decide Whether A Translocation Is Right For Your Group and How to Proceed

Translocations are expensive and time-consuming undertakings that come with a great deal of risk. They are also not guaranteed to work. Many times, kiwi leave the release site and some birds do not survive. If your group is contemplating a translocation, investigate first to see if a lower cost and lower risk option may be viable for your situation as translocations are just one of many conservation management tools available.

Did You Know?

Success rates for translocations worldwide are only 26-46%. Here in New Zealand, we are pretty much in line with these worldwide averages. A recent review of bird translocations in New Zealand showed that only 44% of releases were successful. This means that we have plenty of room for improvement. Careful consideration needs to go into whether a translocation is the best tool for the job (translocations put both the birds involved at risk – of mortality and stress – as well as risks to the source population and receiving ecosystem; other available tools, such as sustained predator control, may provide the same results with less risk and cost). If translocations are carried out, we need to learn from them so that we can continue to improve these tools. This can only be done through a combination of research, proper monitoring, and reporting of projects so the rest of the conservation community can learn from what has been done.

References

Holzapfel, A. and H. Robertson. 2012. Genetic management of kiwi. Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter. 2: 3-4. Available online: http://www.kiwisforkiwi.org/kiwipractitioners/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/KRG_Newsletter_July2012.pdf

Sporle, W. 2014. A Guide To Establishing A New Kiwi Population. Available online: http://www.kiwisforkiwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Establishing-a-new-kiwi-population.pdf

Robertson, H. and Colbourne, R. 2003. Kiwi Best Practice Manual.http://www.kiwisforkiwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Kiwi_Best_Practice_Manual_Sep03.pdf

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter : Issue 2 7

Kiwi Recovery Group Newsletter