September 2021

Kiwi translocation and how the data analysing is going with the recorders

This is from Ricki:

Following the why so quiet survey and report produced by the Toys, an additional 16 recorders were placed along the lake reaching down to the Arnst junction. 5 recorders were also placed out behind Borlase farm to monitor activity that way as kiwi were seen on pig trap cameras around Beech Hill Rise.

During lockdown Ricki had the chance to begin reviewing the recorder files from these recorders (if they are interested in the specifics – files are broken up into 15 minute sections, which cover dusk to dawn time periods, and most recorders are out from between 15-20 nights – so a lot of files to review!).

So far no kiwi have been detected up behind Borlase, but there have been kiwi calls and duets detected down the Travers beginning at recorder 14. There are still more recorders to be reviewed moving back into the core RNRP also. Even though there were locations that seemed pretty quiet Ricki has a couple of files from both behind Borlase and up the Travers which she couldn’t confidently rule out weren’t kiwi- calls were either too faint or very short- these files will be reviewed with Emma or the Toys!

Once we have gone through all the recordings we will send through a more detailed report of our findings also.

August tracking tunnels

Only run at Rotoiti due to COVID lockdown:

Mean tracking: 11% ± 4%

Mean tracking on 1080 lines: 15% ± 5% (10 lines)

Mean tracking on non-1080 lines: 3% ± 2% (6 lines)

Trap checks saturation rate

August was the St Arnaud range trap check month. All lines still well below the 40% saturation threshold. Some weren’t done until September due to the level 4 lockdown but we got to them as soon as we were able.

Plants!

Lake snow – you might have seen the stuff article. The diatom that produces lake snow is in both Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa. There is a prediction that we could have a Lake snow bloom at Rotoiti this summer. We will continue to monitor this situation. We are also testing some of the alpine lake (Rotomairewhenua, Rotomaninitua) to check for the diatom. Additional biosecurity measures will be put in place to keep it out of these lakes if it is not there.

The team has been putting in a lot of hours at the Matagouri Reserve removing hawthorn and other weeds. There will be a lot more work happening on the Teetotoal flats of the next year. This area is important and rare frost flat habitat we are working hard to protect.