Juvenile whio ducks take to the water for first time on a South Taranaki river – Stuff.co.nz

Posted: April 1, 2020 at 9:49 am

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In being released into a South Taranaki river, whio Tipunakore, Trev and Tui made history.

It was a low key event for three juvenile whio blue ducks released to the Kapuni Stream recently - the first release of whio ona South Taranaki river in Egmont National Park.

A previous event with Te Korowai o Ngruahine, Supporting Today's At Risk Teenagers (START) Taranaki, and whio support groupswas cancelled due to Covid-19 risk.

Two male and one female whio were bred at Ng Manu Nature Reserve in Waikanae and taken to a 'hardening' facility at the Tongariro Trout Centre where thebirds provided new genetics to the current population.

The birds join a record number of whio ducklings found by Department of Conservation rangers on eight regularly surveyed rivers.

READ MORE:Whio population boosted by release of three more ducks on Mt Taranaki

The upcoming five yearly whio census scheduled in 2020would determine if overall numbers have increased since 2015.

There are now estimated to be more than 80 whio in the national park.

The released whio - Tipunakore, Trev and Tui - are named after two Taranaki START students now working with the Taranaki Mounga Project, and a supporter of the programme.

Taranaki Mounga project manager Sean Zieltjes saidTrev, one of the students, hadworked with the project for nearly a year.

He wasstokeda whio is named after him, Zieltjes said.

"Trev worked incredibly hard to help protect these taonga.

"Hebuilt over 300 DOC200 stoat traps in his neighbour's carport, and also helped to cut the tracks were these traps are all active on the southern side of the maunga.

"Thanks to Trevhe's protecting whio and giving them the best chance to thrive."

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Juvenile whio ducks take to the water for first time on a South Taranaki river - Stuff.co.nz

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