Natureland the new home for eight kakariki

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Eight kakariki have today been transferred from the Marlborough Sounds to Nelson’s Natureland Wildlife Trust to help boost the native parrot population in the Abel Tasman National Park.

Natureland Wildlife Trust will breed the yellow crowned parakeet on behalf of Project Janszoon and DOC. Their captive raised offspring will in time be released into the higher altitudes of the national park to join the small but growing population of native parrots.

Project Janszoon ornithologist Pete Gaze, and volunteers Peter Hale and Ingrid Hutzler captured the kakariki on Long Island over the last few days. Pete says they are settling in well to their new home and it is hoped they will soon begin breeding.

“It is great to have Natureland Wildlife Trust on board as their involvement in our breeding programme will increase the number of juvenile kakariki we are able to relocate to the Park. Natureland has staff who have specialised knowledge in breeding birds for release so that is fantastic,” he says.

Senior keeper Jenny Pettigrew spent seven years breeding endangered macaws for release in Costa Rica and says the secret to successful breeding is making the birds as comfortable as possible.

“Kakariki are prolific breeders and can lay up to five clutches a year with 2-9 eggs in a clutch. A lot of thought has gone into designing a new aviary for them with enough space and plenty of native trees so we hope they will be contented, happy, and keen to breed,” she says.

Natureland trustee and curator Meg Selby says Nelson Host Lions Club members spent more than 300 hours building the new aviary that will allow the public to view the very special birds.

“It is part of our mission to contribute to conservation in a meaningful way and it is a pleasure and an honour to be able to help return species to the wild. It is exciting to know we are helping to breed a native parrot that will be released into the Nelson / Tasman region and that locals will get the opportunity to view them both in the wild and here at Natureland,” she says.

Project Janszoon and DOC also work with Lochmara Lodge, EcoWorld Aquarium and Tui Nature Reserve to breed kakariki. In the last two years 22 captive raised kakariki have been released into the upper reaches of the Park to augment a very small existing population of birds. The releases have only been possible because of extensive predator control that should provide safe habitat for the hole-nesting birds.