Aversion training wild kea with anthraquinone-treated repellent in non-toxic baits prior to 1080 operations does not improve survival outcomes

In New Zealand, the Nationally Endangered kea (Nestor notabilis) is a large endemic parrot susceptible to non-target mortality from 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) which is used to control introduced mammals that threaten native biodiversity and livestock. Across all 1080 operations monitored since 2008, mean kea mortality is estimated to be 13%. Public concern around kea by-kill remains high and, consequently, significant effort is directed towards mitigating 1080 risk.

The karoro Larus dominicanus in northern Aotearoa | New Zealand: diet and evidence of changing trophic position from regurgitated pellets and stable isotope analysis of contemporary and historic feathers and bones

Coastal seabirds are valuable indicators of ecological change in nearshore marine systems impacted by human activities. This study examined how human population growth and urban expansion have influenced the long-term dietary patterns of karoro (southern black-backed gull Larus dominicanus) in Auckland, Aotearoa | New Zealand. Specifically, we assessed whether increasing urbanisation has led to a dietary shift from marine-based prey to greater reliance on terrestrial and anthropogenic food sources.

Multiplex PCR reveals population structure in an inbred communal bird

Studying the effects of inbreeding in wild avian populations can be challenging due to attendant concerns and restrictions when working with endangered species. Therefore, naturally inbreeding species listed as Not of Concern, such as the communally breeding pūkeko (Porphyrio melanotus melanotus, family Rallidae), may provide an excellent model for experimental analyses of inbreeding. We hope that this work will eventually inform conservation efforts directed at endangered species.

Video monitoring finds no bat interactions with resetting traps in Pureora Forest Park

In New Zealand, endemic bat species require conservation management involving suppression of mammalian pest populations to prevent bat population declines. Toxins are frequently used to control mammalian pests; however, lesser short-tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata) are also susceptible to poisoning due to their unique forest floor foraging behaviour and willingness to sample different types of bait. Self-resetting traps may offer a suitable alternative to the use of toxins for control of rats if they do not also present a by-kill risk to bats.

Life in the slow and high lane: ecology of an alpine gecko (Mokopirirakau “Cascades”) in the Southern Alps | Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, Aotearoa New Zealand

Alpine regions worldwide support diverse, endemic, and specialised fauna, yet knowledge of the basic ecology of many species is lacking and urgently required for management. Aotearoa New Zealand’s lizards (geckos and skinks) are no exception: of at least 33 species that occur in the alpine zone, ≥ 90% are currently Threatened or At Risk of extinction. Here, we focus on the Cascade gecko: a cryptic and viviparous species found in the Southern Alps | Kā Tiritiri o te Moana in the South Island.

Do fragmented forests host sufficient birds for forest restoration on Banks Peninsula, New Zealand?

Agricultural areas set aside for native forest restoration are often in highly fragmented landscapes. This fragmentation can reduce local abundance of native avifauna that carry out bird-plant mutualisms for forest regeneration. Te Whenua Ora | High Bare Peak (HBP) is a fragmented forest landscape on Banks Peninsula transitioning back into continuous forest.

Evolutionary and ecological controls over leaf-level traits in New Zealand’s tussock grasses

Removal of a strong selective pressure allows for modification of traits previously requisite for survival, which may enable species to take advantage of new ecological opportunities. Globally many traits shared by grasses are a byproduct of strong selection due to mammalian herbivores and fire, including non-dehiscence of senesced leaves.

Habitat use of obligate alpine geckos from southern New Zealand

Animals that inhabit the alpine zone often persist in isolated and fragmented populations and possess a range of behaviours and adaptations that enable them to survive in these harsh environments. These characteristics can make them particularly susceptible to escalating anthropogenic threats, including climate change. New Zealand has a diverse lizard fauna, of which approximately 25% of species inhabit the alpine zone. The cryptic nature of many alpine lizards makes them difficult to find and study, limiting effective conservation management.

Frog-predator interactions in Aotearoa New Zealand: observations and two case studies using molecular and visual gut-content analyses

Interactions between endemic frogs and introduced predators in Aotearoa New Zealand are important to document for consideration in species management. Predation has emerged as a formidable threat to the survival of native frog populations in Aotearoa, with most research focusing on predation by Rattus species. Here we collate unpublished observations of mortality events or predator interactions in introduced and endemic frog species.

An ecological survey of Kuranui (Penguin Island) and Waikaia (Rabbit Island), western Bay of Plenty

Kuranui and Waikaia are iwi-owned islands in the Slipper group off the east coast of the Coromandel peninsula that have not been surveyed for 50 years. We visited both islands for one day and night each in April 2024 and undertook rodent trapping and species surveys of birds, reptiles, and vascular plants. The islands have changed little in 50 years. The avifauna remains similar and shared between both islands while the vegetation has continued to recover on a successional trajectory to a native state following burning. Some new weed species have colonised both islands.

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