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RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Science
- RNZ News
Our Changing World: Burrowing into the mystery of Great Barrier Island's black petrels
An adult black petrel cruises over the waters of the Hauraki Gulf. Photo: Dan Burgin / WMIL Follow Our Changing World on Apple , Spotify , iHeartRadio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Tracking what one of New Zealand's most vulnerable seabird species gets up to on the other side of the Pacific may help answer the question of why so many fledglings never return, a veteran researcher says. Juvenile black petrels (tāiko/tākoketai) hatched on Great Barrier Island - one of two remaining colonies - have just fledged from their burrows to undertake their maiden migration to the Galapagos Islands and the coast of Ecuador. Wildlife Management International managing director Biz Bell says this breeding season appeared to have gone smoothly, with most petrel parents managing to successfully raise their single chick. "A lot of really good condition chicks this year, which is really pleasing, lots of really fat chicks," Biz says. "Our breeding success is about 72 percent, on average, and it looks like this year is going to be an on-average year, which is really exciting." Tākoketai are classified as nationally vulnerable, and their already small numbers are gradually declining . There are about 15,000 black petrels left in the world, and all of them nest on either Aotea Great Barrier Island or neighbouring Hauturu-o-Toi Little Barrier Island, in burrows they dig into the ground. Bell and her team have been surveying the petrels for 29 years. The survey, which is funded fifty-fifty by the Department of Conservation and a fisheries levy, includes three fortnight-long trips to the colony every year, with the aim of checking every one of the nearly 500 study burrows at least once each visit. Wildlife Management International managing director Biz Bell. Photo: RNZ / Kate Newton Since the survey began in the mid-1990s, about 5500 chicks have been banded but fewer than 500 have ever been found again. "Is that because we can't search this entire, massive island and they're somewhere else?" Biz says. Predation on land is largely under control, so the main threats to petrels are at sea, she says. "Are they dying on migration? Are they dying in fishing boats? Are they dying from pollution events, climate change? It's one of our biggest gaps of knowledge." The petrels are at particular risk from getting hooked by long-line vessels, because of their scavenging habits and diving proficiency. Biz says the team knows a lot about the petrels' habits on this side of the Pacific but she hopes that next season, they might be able to start a closer collaboration with researchers in Ecuador. Ecuadorian ecologist Giovanny Suarez Espin was due to join the survey's final trip to the colony in April but was unable to get a visa in time. He will now join the Aotea survey for the 2025-26 season instead, Biz says. "He's a research scientist, he does a lot of work at sea there and he's monitoring black petrels there because it's also a special species for them." WWF-New Zealand chief executive Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, left, and board member Kerry Prendergast check a black petrel chick. Photo: RNZ / Kate Newton Biz hopes the New Zealand team will also be able to travel to Ecuador in upcoming seasons to build a better picture of what is happening to the juvenile birds. Those young birds typically stay in South American waters, feeding off the Humboldt current, for several years before they return to the Great Barrier colony for the first time. "It's a long time in their waters [and] they're interacting with fishers all the time," Biz says. "Is there a specific risk that our chicks, in particular, are dealing with over in Ecuador? "What we'd really like to do is go over to Ecuador, get out on some of these vessels, catch some birds at sea, put some loggers on and get some tracks of how they behave in those waters, where they go ... and see what happens." Since last year, long-line fishers in New Zealand waters have had to use all three internationall-recommended practices to prevent seabird by-catch. That includes using weighted hooks to ensure the hooks sink quickly, installing tori lines (bird-scaring streamers) above boats, and only fishing at night, when birds are less likely to be feeding. However, those practices do not necessarily not extend to the rest of the birds' habitat, Biz says. "We're basically building relationships with researchers and fishermen over in Ecuador through both high-level government relationships but also personal relationships with fishers and with scientists to try to get that sort of mitigation happening over there as well." In Depth reporter Kate Newton visited Aotea-Great Barrier Island this summer to see how the survey team goes about its work. Photo: RNZ / Kate Newton The main survey on Aotea will keep going for as long as possible, she says. "Longevity studies are super-important and we find something new every year. We don't know enough about these birds yet even though we've studied them for nearly 30 years." The petrels are "absolutely magic". "I will come back as long as I possibly can." Listen to the episode to learn more about how Biz and her team go about monitoring the petrels, the threats the seabirds face, and what the survey has uncovered over nearly 30 years of research. Sign up to the Our Changing World monthly newsletter for episode backstories, science analysis and more. WWF-NZ paid for Kate Newton's flight to Great Barrier Island. The organisation had no oversight of this story or podcast.
Khaleej Times
18-03-2025
- General
- Khaleej Times
'We will preserve them': Saving Cambodia's crocodiles
A motorbike rider inches slowly over bumpy terrain deep in Cambodia's Virachey national park, carefully adjusting the basket strapped behind him. Inside is precious cargo -- a critically endangered Siamese crocodile. The reptile is one of 10 being released into the park in Cambodia's northeast for the first time -- part of a years-long effort that has brought the Siamese crocodile back from the brink of extinction in the wild. "Often what we see is species are declining, species are disappearing," said Pablo Sinovas, Cambodia country director for the Fauna & Flora conservation group, which has led the conservation programme. "In this case, we are seeing actually that the species seems to be recovering." The crocodile, which can grow up to four metres long, is distinguished by dragon-like bony crests behind each eye. Just 25 years ago, experts feared that the Siamese crocodile might no longer exist outside zoos and the crocodile farms that helped decimate its population. But in 2000, a biodiversity survey led by Fauna & Flora uncovered a small number in the remote Cardamom Mountains in southwest Cambodia, kicking off a conservation effort that has given the species a 400-strong foothold in the country. Discoveries and conservation elsewhere mean there are now up to 1,000 Siamese crocodiles in the wild globally, though in just one percent of its former range. Cambodia has been central to that success, said crocodile expert Charlie Manolis, chief scientist at Wildlife Management International in Australia. "There's an opportunity in Cambodia," he said, explaining that, unlike neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, there are still "large tracts" of protected land. - 'Best possible headstart' - Key to Cambodia's effort is a programme to help the species -- which was once found all over Southeast Asia -- breed more successfully. In the wild, fragmented populations might struggle to find a mate, and both eggs and juvenile offspring are vulnerable to predators. For every 50 or so born in the wild, perhaps as few as three survive, said Joe Rose, captive breeding officer at the Phnom Tamao facility outside Phnom Penh. "Breeding within a facility like this, we can ensure a 100 percent survival rate from hatchlings... and healthy young crocodiles to take out and release, to give them the best possible headstart", Rose said. There are around 200 crocodiles at the facility at any one time, including 50 breeding adults, who produced nearly 200 eggs last year. Eggs are taken into incubators, and hatchlings are raised in enclosures with progressive exposure to the fish and frogs they will one day catch in the wild. After several years, they are ready for release. Until now, that has meant heading to the Cardamom Mountains, where last year 60 crocodiles were recorded hatching in the wild -- the highest number in a century. The growing population holds promise not just for the species but for its broader environment too. Crocodiles are top predators which regulate their ecosystems, and there is evidence that fish diversity is higher in the rivers they inhabit. The conservation effort's growing success has bred a need for new habitats, a challenge given that crocodiles need space, prey and enough distance away from humans to minimise conflict. Virachey's rugged, remote terrain makes it ideal, with relatively untouched plant and animal life, and few residents. "It's essentially protected mostly by the remoteness," said Sinovas. - Ultrasound 'pings' - Releasing the crocodiles into a new environment is still risky. They could face predators or struggle to feed themselves -- and tracking their progress can be difficult and expensive. "Often reintroduction programmes with crocodilians, you sort of hurl them all out there, and then everybody sort of walks away and hopes that they live and grow," said Manolis. But Fauna & Flora will keep tabs using acoustic monitors, inspired by lessons from Australian crocodile conservation efforts. In Phnom Tamao, each of the 10 crocodiles is fitted with a thimble-sized transmitter, placed beneath their dappled scaly skin. These send ultrasound "pings" every time the creatures pass receivers placed along a 10-kilometre stretch of their new river home in Virachey. The data will be recorded for several months and then collected and analysed for clues on the programme's success. Reaching their new home was no easy task for the reptiles. First, there was 18 hours of travel in cylindrical bamboo baskets transported by car, motorbike and boat. Next, they acclimatised in a temporary enclosure. Receivers were installed and checked, and then it was time. Electrical tape that had been wound around their snouts to prevent snapping was peeled away, and each creature was gradually lowered into the water. They quickly splashed away, carrying great hopes on their scaly shoulders. Conservationists credit part of their success to cooperation with local communities, who have protected crocodiles in the Cardamoms and helped document new hatchlings. For Chroub Srak Er, a resident and ranger at Virachey, the reptiles offer hope. "These crocodiles disappeared a long time ago," he said. "We are so happy, we will preserve them together."
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'We will preserve them': saving Cambodia's crocodiles
A motorbike rider inches slowly over bumpy terrain deep in Cambodia's Virachey national park, carefully adjusting the basket strapped behind him. Inside is precious cargo -- a critically endangered Siamese crocodile. The reptile is one of 10 being released into the park in Cambodia's northeast for the first time -- part of a years-long effort that has brought the Siamese crocodile back from the brink of extinction in the wild. "Often what we see is species are declining, species are disappearing," said Pablo Sinovas, Cambodia country director for the Fauna & Flora conservation group, which has led the conservation programme. "In this case, we are seeing actually that the species seems to be recovering." The crocodile, which can grow up to four metres (13 feet) long, is distinguished by dragon-like bony crests behind each eye. Just 25 years ago, experts feared that the Siamese crocodile might no longer exist outside zoos and the crocodile farms that helped decimate its population. But in 2000, a biodiversity survey led by Fauna & Flora uncovered a small number in the remote Cardamom Mountains in southwest Cambodia, kicking off a conservation effort that has given the species a 400-strong foothold in the country. Discoveries and conservation elsewhere mean there are now up to 1,000 Siamese crocodiles in the wild globally, though in just one percent of its former range. Cambodia has been central to that success, said crocodile expert Charlie Manolis, chief scientist at Wildlife Management International in Australia. "There's an opportunity in Cambodia," he said, explaining that, unlike neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, there are still "large tracts" of protected land. - 'Best possible headstart' - Key to Cambodia's effort is a programme to help the species -- which was once found all over Southeast Asia -- breed more successfully. In the wild, fragmented populations might struggle to find a mate, and both eggs and juvenile offspring are vulnerable to predators. For every 50 or so born in the wild, perhaps as few as three survive, said Joe Rose, captive breeding officer at the Phnom Tamao facility outside Phnom Penh. "Breeding within a facility like this, we can ensure a 100 percent survival rate from hatchlings... and healthy young crocodiles to take out and release, to give them the best possible headstart", Rose said. There are around 200 crocodiles at the facility at any one time, including 50 breeding adults, who produced nearly 200 eggs last year. Eggs are taken into incubators, and hatchlings are raised in enclosures with progressive exposure to the fish and frogs they will one day catch in the wild. After several years, they are ready for release. Until now, that has meant heading to the Cardamom Mountains, where last year 60 crocodiles were recorded hatching in the wild -- the highest number in a century. The growing population holds promise not just for the species but for its broader environment too. Crocodiles are top predators which regulate their ecosystems, and there is evidence that fish diversity is higher in the rivers they inhabit. The conservation effort's growing success has bred a need for new habitats, a challenge given that crocodiles need space, prey and enough distance away from humans to minimise conflict. Virachey's rugged, remote terrain makes it ideal, with relatively untouched plant and animal life, and few residents. "It's essentially protected mostly by the remoteness," said Sinovas. - Ultrasound 'pings' - Releasing the crocodiles into a new environment is still risky. They could face predators or struggle to feed themselves -- and tracking their progress can be difficult and expensive. "Often reintroduction programmes with crocodilians, you sort of hurl them all out there, and then everybody sort of walks away and hopes that they live and grow," said Manolis. But Fauna & Flora will keep tabs using acoustic monitors, inspired by lessons from Australian crocodile conservation efforts. In Phnom Tamao, each of the 10 crocodiles is fitted with a thimble-sized transmitter, placed beneath their dappled scaly skin. These send ultrasound "pings" every time the creatures pass receivers placed along a 10-kilometre stretch of their new river home in Virachey. The data will be recorded for several months and then collected and analysed for clues on the programme's success. Reaching their new home was no easy task for the reptiles. First, there was 18 hours of travel in cylindrical bamboo baskets transported by car, motorbike and boat. Next, they acclimatised in a temporary enclosure. Receivers were installed and checked, and then it was time. Electrical tape that had been wound around their snouts to prevent snapping was peeled away, and each creature was gradually lowered into the water. They quickly splashed away, carrying great hopes on their scaly shoulders. Conservationists credit part of their success to cooperation with local communities, who have protected crocodiles in the Cardamoms and helped document new hatchlings. For Chroub Srak Er, a resident and ranger at Virachey, the reptiles offer hope. "These crocodiles disappeared a long time ago," he said. "We are so happy, we will preserve them together." suy-sah/pdw/pjm/sn
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'We will preserve them': saving Cambodia's crocodiles
A motorbike rider inches slowly over bumpy terrain deep in Cambodia's Virachey national park, carefully adjusting the basket strapped behind him. Inside is precious cargo -- a critically endangered Siamese crocodile. The reptile is one of 10 being released into the park in Cambodia's northeast for the first time -- part of a years-long effort that has brought the Siamese crocodile back from the brink of extinction in the wild. "Often what we see is species are declining, species are disappearing," said Pablo Sinovas, Cambodia country director for the Fauna & Flora conservation group, which has led the conservation programme. "In this case, we are seeing actually that the species seems to be recovering." The crocodile, which can grow up to four metres (13 feet) long, is distinguished by dragon-like bony crests behind each eye. Just 25 years ago, experts feared that the Siamese crocodile might no longer exist outside zoos and the crocodile farms that helped decimate its population. But in 2000, a biodiversity survey led by Fauna & Flora uncovered a small number in the remote Cardamom Mountains in southwest Cambodia, kicking off a conservation effort that has given the species a 400-strong foothold in the country. Discoveries and conservation elsewhere mean there are now up to 1,000 Siamese crocodiles in the wild globally, though in just one percent of its former range. Cambodia has been central to that success, said crocodile expert Charlie Manolis, chief scientist at Wildlife Management International in Australia. "There's an opportunity in Cambodia," he said, explaining that, unlike neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, there are still "large tracts" of protected land. - 'Best possible headstart' - Key to Cambodia's effort is a programme to help the species -- which was once found all over Southeast Asia -- breed more successfully. In the wild, fragmented populations might struggle to find a mate, and both eggs and juvenile offspring are vulnerable to predators. For every 50 or so born in the wild, perhaps as few as three survive, said Joe Rose, captive breeding officer at the Phnom Tamao facility outside Phnom Penh. "Breeding within a facility like this, we can ensure a 100 percent survival rate from hatchlings... and healthy young crocodiles to take out and release, to give them the best possible headstart", Rose said. There are around 200 crocodiles at the facility at any one time, including 50 breeding adults, who produced nearly 200 eggs last year. Eggs are taken into incubators, and hatchlings are raised in enclosures with progressive exposure to the fish and frogs they will one day catch in the wild. After several years, they are ready for release. Until now, that has meant heading to the Cardamom Mountains, where last year 60 crocodiles were recorded hatching in the wild -- the highest number in a century. The growing population holds promise not just for the species but for its broader environment too. Crocodiles are top predators which regulate their ecosystems, and there is evidence that fish diversity is higher in the rivers they inhabit. The conservation effort's growing success has bred a need for new habitats, a challenge given that crocodiles need space, prey and enough distance away from humans to minimise conflict. Virachey's rugged, remote terrain makes it ideal, with relatively untouched plant and animal life, and few residents. "It's essentially protected mostly by the remoteness," said Sinovas. - Ultrasound 'pings' - Releasing the crocodiles into a new environment is still risky. They could face predators or struggle to feed themselves -- and tracking their progress can be difficult and expensive. "Often reintroduction programmes with crocodilians, you sort of hurl them all out there, and then everybody sort of walks away and hopes that they live and grow," said Manolis. But Fauna & Flora will keep tabs using acoustic monitors, inspired by lessons from Australian crocodile conservation efforts. In Phnom Tamao, each of the 10 crocodiles is fitted with a thimble-sized transmitter, placed beneath their dappled scaly skin. These send ultrasound "pings" every time the creatures pass receivers placed along a 10-kilometre stretch of their new river home in Virachey. The data will be recorded for several months and then collected and analysed for clues on the programme's success. Reaching their new home was no easy task for the reptiles. First, there was 18 hours of travel in cylindrical bamboo baskets transported by car, motorbike and boat. Next, they acclimatised in a temporary enclosure. Receivers were installed and checked, and then it was time. Electrical tape that had been wound around their snouts to prevent snapping was peeled away, and each creature was gradually lowered into the water. They quickly splashed away, carrying great hopes on their scaly shoulders. Conservationists credit part of their success to cooperation with local communities, who have protected crocodiles in the Cardamoms and helped document new hatchlings. For Choub Srak Er, a resident and ranger at Virachey, the reptiles offer hope. "These crocodiles disappeared a long time ago," he said. "We are so happy, we will preserve them together." suy-sah/pdw/pjm/sn
