Archives

Hutton's Shearwater Puffinus huttoni is an Endangered species, endemic to New Zealand, which breeds only near Kaikoura on the mainland of South Island.

The Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust was formed in October 2008 to encourage and promote the preservation, conservation, research, public education and sustainable management of the shearwater.  "The role of the Trust is to gain greater understanding of the ecology of the Hutton's shearwater and to ensure the survival of the mountain and Kaikoura Peninsula colonies."

Following on from previous efforts that commenced in 2005 a further 100 chicks will be transferred this year from the Kowhai mountain colony (one of only two surviving) to the man-made colony known as Te Rae o Atiu on the Kaikoura Peninsula.  The translocation site is protected by a predator-proof fence that was erected in 2010 (and was followed by a pest-eradication programme within it). Two translocated to the site as chicks were found incubating in artificial nest boxes during the 2010/11 summer (click here).

A Hutton's Shearwater incubates its egg
Photograph courtesy of the Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust

The chick-translocation programme for 2013 will begin around 26 February, with a team of five to six volunteers each day feeding chicks for around six weeks from the start of the translocation.  Click here to read more and to find out how to volunteer.

Read more news on the translocation exercise.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 25 January 2013