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Scoop
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Two Decades Of Ruffled Feathers - Bird Of The Year Turns 20
Forest & Bird's iconic Bird of the Year competition is celebrating its 20th anniversary – two decades of campaigning, squawking, strategising, and sparking real action for our native birds. What began as a humble poll by mailout is now a major moment in Aotearoa New Zealand's conservation calendar. Over the years, it has inspired classroom debates, political memes, and even international fame – all in the name of celebrating the weird, wonderful, and endangered manu of Aotearoa. To mark the milestone, Forest & Bird is launching a new book: Bird of the Year: Twenty years of ruffled feathers – A celebration of the birds of Aotearoa, written by award-winning journalist and former campaign lead Ellen Rykers. The book dives deep into the competition's backstory – the scandals, surprises, and the species that stole our hearts – while showcasing incredible illustrations from more than a dozen top wildlife artists. 'Bird of the Year has always been more than a popularity contest,' says Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki. 'It connects people to our precious wildlife and inspires action – from backyard trapping to conservation careers.' Each year, the competition shines a spotlight on birds in trouble. Some species, like the kakī black stilt, have soared from obscurity to national fame. Others, like the kākāpō, have used their Bird of the Year wins to rally support for urgent recovery programmes. 'People fall in love with these birds – and that's powerful,' says author Ellen Rykers. 'Once they know the story of the tūturuatu shore plover or the pekapeka-tou-roa long-tailed bat, they care. They act. They advocate.' And the fight's far from over. With 80% of New Zealand's native birds in trouble, Forest & Bird is using this anniversary to remind voters: your vote counts. Not just in the ballot box, but in the bush, in communities and at the decision-making table. Bird of the Year: Twenty years of ruffled feathers – A celebration of the birds of Aotearoa is published by Penguin Random House New Zealand and will be available for purchase from bookstores in late August. Royalties from the sale of each book will go to Forest & Bird to support its mahi. 2025 COMPETITION DATES Today Forest & Bird is also announcing the dates for the 2025 competition. Voting opens: Monday 15 September Voting closes: Sunday 28 September CAMPAIGN MANAGERS WANTED
Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
The wapiti exception
At first glance, the plan to grant wapiti deer special status in Fiordland National Park seems inappropriate. Wapiti damage the forest understorey through browsing. When deer, tahr, and goats proliferate unchecked, the destruction across forests, valleys, and alpine pastures becomes severe. Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki said this week that the proposal to designate the wapiti as a herd of special interest (Hosi) amounts to the government "looking at changing the law to let a North American deer species use the national park as a glorified vege patch". She argued it was "eating away at the very natural heritage that these sanctuaries have been legally designed to protect. What next? A sanctuary for stoats?" The plan was catering to a handful of vested interests at the expense of all New Zealanders, she said. Ms Toki said Forest & Bird was baffled by the prioritisation of government time and energy into helping 512 hunters shoot 86 deer in a national park. Scepticism surrounding the move is heightened by widespread concerns about the government's alleged tendency to cater to vested interests, as well as Act New Zealand's connections to the gun and hunting lobbies. Cementing the place for a non-native species in a national park raises concerns, particularly given the National Park Act stipulates: "Introduced plants and animals shall as far as possible be exterminated." As a matter of principle, Forest & Bird would struggle to support the planned status for the wapiti. Last year, the organisation sought a judicial review of an agreement between the Department of Conservation and the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation, arguing that the agreement did not comply with the National Parks Act. The review has since been paused. Under the agreement, the foundation is permitted to manage a wapiti herd while undertaking pest control and other conservation efforts in the area. Whatever the concerns over principle and precedent, strong pragmatic and practical arguments support the Hosi designation and the government's parallel plan to amend the law, clarifying that a herd of special interest can be established in national parks. The foundation manages six back-country huts and more than 500 predator-control traps in the wapiti area. Its annual ballot attracts thousands of domestic and international hunters. Wapiti, known as elk overseas, were given to New Zealand by United States president Theodore Roosevelt in 1905. They have since interbred with red deer, and wapiti remain prized trophy animals. Ecologist Cam Speedy, who works with the foundation, said the wapiti efforts over 200,000ha of Fiordland had yielded positive outcomes for both the environment and hunters. Wapiti density was only two to four per hectare, the lowest deer density in almost all Fiordland. Combined with the pest control that Doc could never undertake, the environment and native birdlife were thriving, more so than in almost all the rest of the park. By harnessing hunters' energy, the initiative enhanced environmental, cultural, social, and economic values, Mr Speedy said. It is in the foundation's interests to maintain relatively low numbers and ensure healthy forests — an approach that ultimately improves the quality of the stags and their antlers. There are occasions when the Department of Conservation can collaborate with hunters to manage deer or tahr populations. More often, however, hunters alone cannot be relied upon to keep numbers sufficiently low, and the resulting ecological damage is serious and enduring. The Wapiti Foundation's efforts in Fiordland, now firmly established, represent an exception and should be regarded as such. Nevertheless, periodic reviews and independent monitoring could add another layer of long-term assurance. Wapiti could never be fully "exterminated" from the national park. Instead, a controlled approach has emerged, offering multiple benefits. Formally designating the population as a herd of special interest should help secure these advantages.
NZ Herald
13-05-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Forest & Bird critical of government move to protect elk in Fiordland National Park
No herds of special interest exist in New Zealand currently, although the law enabling them was passed 12 years ago. This is the second to be considered this year, after the sika herd in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks was announced in April. Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki called the decision 'questionable', pointing out the deer species was feral, introduced, and contributing to biodiversity damage within the park - home to endangered species like kākāpō, kiwi, kea, pīwauwau/rock wren and whio/blue duck. 'What's next?' she said. 'A sanctuary for stoats?' Meager explained that maintaining herd numbers would allow the hunter-led Fiordland Wapiti Foundation to continue its work for years to come. 'Not only do they undertake regular culling and manage the popular wapiti ballot, they maintain tracks and huts, and carry out thousands of hours of trapping to better protect vulnerable native species like whio/blue duck.' But Toki said it was catering to a handful of vested interests at the expense of all New Zealanders. 'There's no mandate for this,' she said. 'This is a handful of people for a handful of deer, at the expense of the wildlife and the wild places that New Zealanders across the country love so much.' She clarified Forest & Bird was not anti-hunting - in fact, hunting remained a useful tool for tackling numbers of browsing animals damaging the bush - but believed herds of special interest should not be a priority for time and taxpayer money. The public would have the opportunity to submit on the bill at the select committee stage.
RNZ News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Move to protect Fiordland elk draws ire of Forest and Bird
Wapiti deer - or elk. Photo: RNZ/Cosmo Kentish-Barnes Forest and Bird has criticised moves by the government to protect a herd of wapiti deer - or elk - in Fiordland National Park, accusing it of "changing the law to let a North American deer species use the national park as a glorified vege patch". On Monday, Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager said he would consider formally designating the population as a 'herd of special interest' in Fiordland National Park, as an opportunity for economic growth. The label refers to a herd of game animals on public conservation land which are to be managed for hunting. "Better, healthier deer herds provide opportunities for domestic and international visitors to hunt the only free-range wapiti herd outside of North America," Meager said. No herds of special interest exist in New Zealand currently, although the law enabling them was passed 12 years ago. This is the second to be considered this year, after the sika herd in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks was announced in April . Forest and Bird chief executive Nicola Toki called the decision "questionable", pointing out the deer species was feral, introduced, and contributing to biodiversity damage within the park - home to endangered species like kākāpō, kiwi, kea, pīwauwau/rock wren and whio/blue duck. "What's next?" she said. "A sanctuary for stoats?" Meager explained maintaining herd numbers would allow the hunter-led Fiordland Wapiti Foundation to continue its work for years to come. "Not only do they undertake regular culling and manage the popular wapiti ballot, they maintain tracks and huts, and carry out thousands of hours of trapping to better protect vulnerable native species like whio/blue duck." James Meager. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone But Toki said it was catering to a handful of vested interests at the expense of all New Zealanders. "There's no mandate for this," she said. "This is a handful of people for a handful of deer, at the expense of the wildlife and the wild places that New Zealanders across the country love so much." She clarified Forest and Bird was not anti-hunting - in fact, hunting remained a useful tool for tackling numbers of browsing animals damaging the bush - but believed herds of special interest should not be a priority for time and taxpayer money. The public would have the opportunity to submit on the bill at the select committee stage. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Move to protect Fiordlank elk draws ire of Forest and Bird
Wapiti deer - or elk. Photo: RNZ/Cosmo Kentish-Barnes Forest and Bird has criticised moves by the government to protect a herd of wapiti deer - or elk - in Fiordland National Park, accusing it of "changing the law to let a North American deer species use the national park as a glorified vege patch". On Monday, Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager said he would consider formally designating the population as a 'herd of special interest' in Fiordland National Park, as an opportunity for economic growth. The label refers to a herd of game animals on public conservation land which are to be managed for hunting. "Better, healthier deer herds provide opportunities for domestic and international visitors to hunt the only free-range wapiti herd outside of North America," Meager said. No herds of special interest exist in New Zealand currently, although the law enabling them was passed 12 years ago. This is the second to be considered this year, after the sika herd in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks was announced in April . Forest and Bird chief executive Nicola Toki called the decision "questionable", pointing out the deer species was feral, introduced, and contributing to biodiversity damage within the park - home to endangered species like kākāpō, kiwi, kea, pīwauwau/rock wren and whio/blue duck. "What's next?" she said. "A sanctuary for stoats?" Meager explained maintaining herd numbers would allow the hunter-led Fiordland Wapiti Foundation to continue its work for years to come. "Not only do they undertake regular culling and manage the popular wapiti ballot, they maintain tracks and huts, and carry out thousands of hours of trapping to better protect vulnerable native species like whio/blue duck." James Meager. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone But Toki said it was catering to a handful of vested interests at the expense of all New Zealanders. "There's no mandate for this," she said. "This is a handful of people for a handful of deer, at the expense of the wildlife and the wild places that New Zealanders across the country love so much." She clarified Forest and Bird was not anti-hunting - in fact, hunting remained a useful tool for tackling numbers of browsing animals damaging the bush - but believed herds of special interest should not be a priority for time and taxpayer money. The public would have the opportunity to submit on the bill at the select committee stage. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
