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Landscape-scale trapping of stoats (Mustela erminea) benefits tokoeka (Apteryx australis) in the Murchison Mountains, Fiordland, New Zealand

Notornis, 63 (1), 1-8

J. Tansell; H.K. Edmonds; H.A. Robertson (2016)

Article Type: Paper

A 15,000 ha low-intensity stoat (Mustela erminea) trapping network was established in the Murchison Mountains in 2002, primarily to protect the last natural population of the critically endangered takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri). We compared the productivity and survival of threatened southern brown kiwi or tokoeka (Apteryx australis) living in 3 valleys that were covered by this trapping network with those in a nearby valley that was left untreated. Chick survival to 6 months old was significantly higher in the trapped areas (37%) than in the untrapped area (19%). This doubling of chick survival was sufficient to change the rate of population growth, as derived from Leslie matrix analyses, from a projected decline of 1.6% per annum without management to a projected increase of 1.2% per annum with trapping.

Changes in the breeding status of the southern black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus) colonies on Rangitoto Island, Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand

Notornis, 62 (4), 192-201

M. Galbraith; J. Krzyzosiak; G. Aguilar; G. Jones; R. Oliver (2015)

Article Type: Paper

The southern black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus) is a common species throughout New Zealand, and has a significant presence in Auckland City. Large colonies are present on Rangitoto Island only 8 km from the city’s centre. The proximity of these colonies to the anthropogenic resources of the city may have influenced breeding locations and local populations. Using field data from the 2012/13 breeding period, we compare the current status of the breeding population on Rangitoto Island with historical data collated from literature. The Rangitoto population exhibited rapid growth throughout the early 20th century, a pattern attributed to environmental changes associated with European settlement and development. Since the 1980s, the colony sizes have declined, a change that is consistent with other gull populations both nationally and globally. The driver of the population changes is likely to be the availability of food and the expansion of vegetation into the colonies. Human disturbance and predation are discounted as impacting on population change.
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