Project to save teal a big success

A conservation project on the northern Coromandel Peninsula is being hailed as " far the world's most prolific recovery ever recorded for an endangered waterfowl species''.

That diagnosis comes from the independent Brown Teal Conservation Trust in describing a project that began seven years ago.

Before that about 20 brown teal (pateke) were thought to be living on the peninsula. The number has since boomed to around 700-800.

Around 260 pateke have been released at Port Charles since 2002, when the first captive-bred birds were freed in the wild.

Port Charles was chosen at short notice after an intended site, on the west coast of the South Island, was hit hard predators and considered unsuitable.

Conservation Department Hauraki area manager John Gaukrodger said the success of the pateke was due, in large part, to the work of the Port Charles community.

"At Port Charles we've employed local people who've done predator control for pateke and maintained the monitoring of the birds,'' Mr Gaukrodger said.

"Working with local community people, both volunteers and employees, we've had significant buy-in.''

Private landowners had become involved and worked to protect wetland areas, their efforts subsequently boosting the amount of habitat available to the birds.

The Moehau Environment Group had been instrumental in this regard.

Mr Gaukrodger said another major factor was the work done to protect kiwi on the northern Coromandel Peninsula.

A side-effect was fewer predators to prey on pateke. He said the shape of the peninsula had also assisted with pest control at its northern end.

- © Fairfax NZ News