08-13-2010, 04:57 PM
Dickie Billericay Wrote:Distance learning icon Dr. Neil Hayes has authored a featured article in the March 2010 issue of Southern Bird, a publication of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand. Entitled "Pateke In Recovery Mode," the article looks at the bird's population decline and recovery in New Zealand.
Dr. Hayes has done some great work down there in NZ, preserving the rare birds from extinction, shooting the tasty ones for dinner, and helping folks like us tell the difference.
Congratulations Dr. Hayes on another great effort!
A brief quote here, and the full doc attached below:
Thanks for that Dickie.
The Recovery Programme has certainly come a long way since 1999, when the brown teal population had plummeted to a total of only 750 birds - and when two brown teal fanatics featured on national TV slating the situation. Not long after a major Audit of the recovery programme took place and today there are now close to 3,000 surviving in the wild, with the most spectacular recovery being on the Coromandel Peninsula, where in 1999 there was less than 20 surviving and there on now over 1,000 on the peninsula. All being achieved through the elimination of introduced predators, together with habitat creation, enhancement and management – and a Department of Conservation that has become more receptive to external pressure!