'Momentous moment': Pukupuku moved from Wellington to Hawke's Bay
File image.
Photo:
Kimberley Collins
Fifteen of the country's smallest kiwi have taken flight from Zealandia in Wellington, heading to Cape Sanctuary in Hawke's Bay, in an effort to grow the national population.
The translocation marks the first time pukupuku have been moved between sanctuaries since their reintroduction to the mainland two decades ago, in a collaboration between Zealandia, local iwi, Cape Sanctuary, Kiwi Recovery and the Department of Conservation.
Pukupuku disappeared from the mainland in the late 1800s, and just five birds remained on Kāpiti Island.
Jo Ledington, Zealandia's general manager conservation and restoration, said all of the roughly 200 pukupuku at Zealandia had grown from the same group of five birds they had brought over from Kāpiti Island in the early 2000s.
Despite Cape Sanctuary already having more than 40 pukupuku, those birds were all related, which made for less genetic variation. Ledington said the translocation of kiwi from Zealandia would introduce new genetics to the Cape Sanctuary population.
She said Zealandia was proud to be in a position to support other pukupuku populations in New Zealand - and during their time at Zealandia, the birds had inspired thousands of people to care about the rare species.
The kiwi were carefully collected from Zealandia in accordance with Ngāti Toa and Taranaki Whānui tikanga, screened for diseases, and fitted with locator transmitters.
They were released into their new home that same day.
Ngāti Toa Rangatira representative and Karori Sanctuary trust board chair, Russell Spratt, said translocations were conservation milestones which reinforced the cultural and spiritual connections between Ngāti Toa, Kāpiti Island, and broader conservation efforts.
He said Ngati Toa Rangatira were proud of the role Kāpiti Island played in the revival of the bird from near extinction.
Terese McLeod, Taranaki Whānui representative and Zealandia's lead ranger for bicultural engagement, said the birds played "an honourable role for Te Taiao across Aotearoa".
"Taranaki Whānui are honoured to support and witness the whakakāinga anō of kiwi pukupuku from the sanctuary," she said.
Hariata Dawn Bennett, the cultural liaison for Cape Sanctuary, Ngāti Mihiroa, called it "a momentous moment for Ngāti Mihiroa and the Cape Sanctuary".
"It was the moemoea led by the late Hariata Te Ruru Akonga Mohi Baker to receive these kiwi pukupuku. We honour this dream and duty to devotedly care for these taonga."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
Public Invited To Dive In And Share Views On 10-year Coastal Plan
Wellington City Council and mana whenua are calling on residents to help shape the future of the Pōneke coastline – a taonga of the city. Public consultation on Tātou ki Uta – the draft Coastal Reserves Management Plan – is now open until midday Tuesday 5 August 2025. Covering coastal areas from Oriental Bay to Red Rocks, Tātou ki Uta sets out a 10-year plan for how the city and its people will care for, protect, and continue to enjoy our coastal reserves, beaches, public parks, and amenities like tracks, boat ramps, and public toilets. 'Our coastal reserves are a taonga, a treasure, and their future management must reflect the aspirations of Wellingtonians,' says Mayor Tory Whanau. 'We've worked closely with our community and Takai Here partners to create a draft plan that is integrated and forward-looking. This public consultation is an invitation for every Wellingtonian to help shape the future of our coastal spaces,' adds Mayor Whanau. Councillor Teri O'Neill, Chair of the Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee, says it's important to have your say. 'Our coastline is where so many of us feel most grounded; a place to meet friends and whānau, swim with the dog, or take in the wildlife around us. We've heard how much people care about the dunes, kororā (penguin) habitats, and cultural stories of these places. Now we want your voice in how we care for these taonga for the next decade.' The draft plan includes over 80 proposed actions, ranging from practical upgrades like improved toilets and tracks, to long-term efforts towards erosion control, protection of wildlife, restoring Māori names to reserves, and planning for climate adaptation in high-risk areas. Council has worked closely with mana whenua partners Ngāti Toa and Taranaki Whānui to develop the draft plan. The name Tātou ki Uta, gifted by mana whenua, means 'all of us on the land' and speaks to the shared responsibility of both iwi and the wider community in caring for the coast. Rawiri Faulkner, Pou Toa Matarau, of Ngāti Toa Rangatira, says the coastal environment is incredibly important to Ngāti Toa. 'We welcome the opportunity to strengthen our connection to the places we consider significant and to ensure our obligations to protect our taonga as kaitiaki is enhanced. 'We invite the community to participate in this process and join the council in ensuring our coastal environment is able to be enjoyed by current and future generations.' Tiamana | Chairperson Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika Te Whatanui Winiata says Taranaki Whānui is pleased to be a part of a kaupapa that once again highlights the importance of kotahitanga. 'Kotahitanga is working in partnership to maintain the cultural significance of our coastal areas. Kotahitanga is having a shared view on protecting our coastal areas. Kotahitanga is sharing in the development of the plan for our coastal areas. 'Taranaki Whānui is delighted with the expressions of kotahitanga with the Council and we look forward to more opportunities to collaborate.' Public consultation is open from Thursday 5 June to midday Tuesday 5 August 2025. You can have your say by: Completing the online survey at Filling out a paper submission form available online and at all Council libraries. Emailing coastalplan@ The full draft plan is available to read on Let's Talk or you can find a copy in Te Awe Library. Whether you're a surfer, swimmer, diver, dog walker, jogger, environmentalist, community volunteer, or a proud Wellingtonian, this plan is for everyone – and we want to know if we've got it right.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Tongariro Northern Circuit off the table for most this season
Oturere Hut is more than 50 years old. Photo: RNZ / John Edens One of the country's Great Walks will not be opening as usual this season, but walkers on the Tongariro Northern Circuit can look forward to a brand new hut in years to come. Libby O'Brien, the Department of Conservation's (DOC) operations manager for Tongariro, in the central North Island, said the department was working with local hapū Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro on a replacement for Oturere Hut. At more than 50 years old, it had sprung a few leaks. "It just doesn't give a good visitor experience," O'Brien said. "It doesn't meet the standards that we want to deliver with the Great Walk. It's time for it to be replaced with something a little bit more fit for purpose." That meant the Great Walk experience was off the table for now. People would still be able to book the other huts on the circuit individually, with those bookings expected to open in July. But the walk between the two huts on either side - Mangatepopo and Waihohonu - without stopping at Oturere was 20 kilometres, and would take between 8 and 10 hours. That was twice the distance visitors would normally walk on those second and third days, and the route passed through steep, rough alpine terrain with fast-changing, extreme weather. While the tracks were open, DOC did not recommend people hike between Mangatepopo and Waihohonu unless they were very fit and experienced backcountry trampers, carrying the right gear to be self-sufficient. The new hut was in the final planning stages, with construction due to begin in the summer, when there would be longer daylight hours and less harsh alpine conditions for the construction team. "We can sometimes expect snow right up until the end of every year," O'Brien explained. They would be flying building materials in by helicopter, but to keep costs low, the team would stay on-site in the old hut. It would be "slightly different from the normal rectangle hut that people know and love," O'Brien said, and would mean an improved experience for walkers for years to come.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
New track build efforts recognised
Family, friends, officials and fellow Green Hut Track Group members surround dedicated volunteer Arthur Blondell after he was presented with an Outdoor Access Champion Award last Thursday at Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Pictured in the front row are (from left) Herenga ā Nuku — Outdoor Access Commission board member Dr Hugh Logan, Mr Blondell's wife Teresa Wasilewska, Mr Blondell with his award, Department of Conservation ranger Felicity Sime, Green Hut Track Group co-ordinator Graeme Elliot and commission acting chief executive Phil Culling. Photo: Brenda Harwood The dedication of Dunedin man Arthur Blondell, who has spent the past 12 years building a safe public walking track in the Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve, has been recognised with a national Outdoor Access Champion Award. Mr Blondell's extraordinary efforts to build the 7km "Arthur's Track" along the south branch of the Waikouaiti River were celebrated at a special award presentation ceremony at Orokonui Ecosanctuary last week Thursday, which was also his 76th birthday. Herenga ā Nuku — Outdoor Access Commission acting chief executive Phil Culling and board member Dr Hugh Logan presented the award to Mr Blondell at the celebration, which was attended by about 50 people — family, friends, officials and fellow members of the Green Hut Track Group. Dr Logan saluted Mr Blondell's achievement, saying building tracks was a major effort, requiring time, planning and care. "And if that work is done by hand, it is even tougher," Dr Logan said. Building the track had been "a fantastic contribution to the city" and would help people to connect with nature, he said. Green Hut Track Group co-ordinator Graeme Elliot said many of the group members who were at Thursday's ceremony had worked alongside Mr Blondell on constructing the track. "A lot of us here have worked with Arthur and have been challenged and inspired by him — it has been quite a journey and I want to thank him for that," Mr Elliot said. Mr Blondell told the gathering he was motivated to start work on the track in 2012 after the remote Philip J. Cox Memorial Hut — established in memory of his late friend — was built. Arthur Blondell at the junction of a series of tracks in the Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve near Dunedin. Photo: Graeme Elliot The hut was the second shelter on the Silverpeaks Circuit Track, which traversed steep, slippery slopes and dense undergrowth, and included river crossings that could be treacherous in poor weather. "The [new] track had been talked about for a long time, but no-one had gotten around to starting it — so I decided to pick up a shovel and get going," he said. Every Monday, Mr Blondell drove 40 minutes to the Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve, then walked a 200m descent to the track site. Self-funded and resourced, he carried his own tools in, as well as timber and other resources, storing them on-site. After navigating the track and clearing vegetation by hand, Mr Blondell embarked on the back-breaking work of digging and benching the track by hand, establishing water channels and constructing drainage. The Green Hut Track Group, a collective of mostly retired volunteers who have worked together every Wednesday to maintain tracks in the Silverpeaks for more than 20 years, found Mr Blondell in 2015, and spent many subsequent Mondays working alongside him. After five years, Dunedin Tracks and Trail guidebook author Antony Hamel led the inaugural tramp along Arthur's Track in August 2017. Following that milestone, Mr Blondell has continued his work to improve and maintain the track over the past seven years, to ensure it caters for trampers of a broad range of abilities. This has involved refining and re-routing the track to remove some of the steeper sections, introducing switchbacks and zig-zags to ease the gradient. The whole track now follows an easy contour, making it an enjoyable tramping experience, while still providing access to spectacular Silver Peaks views. "The track also links up the other tracks in the area, which helps to provide a better experience for trampers," he said. Dedicated volunteer Arthur Blondell (left) receives the Outdoor Access Champion Award from Herenga ā Nuku — Outdoor Access Commission board member Dr Hugh Logan during last week's award presentation ceremony at Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Photo: Brenda Harwood The Department of Conservation formally incorporated Arthur's Track into the Silverpeaks Circuit Track in May 2024. Mr Blondell paid tribute to the members of the Green Hut Track Group for their long-standing support for his passion project. "I want to thank all those who came along and helped throughout my time working on the track," he said. He was very pleased with the high standard of the track, which he hoped would encourage more people to use it. "Having the Silverpeaks in such close proximity to Dunedin makes it an ideal place to have a first outdoor experience. "It is a wonderful asset, and I hope we have enhanced it by putting the track through," he said. Dunedin Department of Conservation ranger Felicity Sime added her voice to the praise for the efforts of Mr Blondell and the Green Hut Track Group for their phenomenal work in completing Arthur's Track to such a high standard of safety and accessibility. "Arthur's relentless hard work and dedication will enable generations of people to explore and enjoy the Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve. The track is an absolute treasure," she said.
