What's New for Oikonos

August - September 2006

© Sophie Webb 2004 Project Update The Rakiura Tïtï Restoration Project seeks to repair the injury to Sooty Shearwaters (Puffinus griseus) caused by the T/V Command oil spill in 1998 off the central coast of California by eradication of introduced rats from breeding colonies on four southern islands of New Zealand. The project is spearheaded by Rakiura Mäori, New Zealand’s most southerly group of indigenous people who manage this ‘taonga’ (treasured species) which they call ‘tïtï’. The restoration team combines the traditional knowledge of the ‘kaitiaki’ (Mäori environmental stewards) with technical and scientific expertise of the New Zealand Department of Conservation and University of Otago team of ecologists. Blessing of the project Maria sings a blessing song at the ceremony for the project (photo: H. Nevins) On March 20, Oikonos' Hannah Nevins was invited to participate in a small gathering of birders, researchers, eradication specialists, and others involved in the project for a ceremony to bless the project at the high vantage point of Taukihepa where the surrounding islands could be addressed. Large insects such as Weta and beetles were more abundant on Tïtï Islands. Once ship rats invaded Taukihepa, a large flightless weevil (Hadramphus stilbocarpuae) became locally extinct. Rodents depredate invertebrates and are especially devasting to flightless forms. Rat-free islands offer valueable refuges for these species. Stag beetle (Geodorcus spp.) observed on rat-free Pohowaitai Island (photo: H. Nevins) Bait Deployment ! A specialized helo operator deploys bait over Taukihepa (photo: Pete McClelland) On July 18, the Department of Conservation, working alongside local muttonbirders, successfully spread more than 7 tonnes of bait over the four rat-infested islands off the south-western corner of Stewart Island. This bait drop was the first of two designed to eradicate all rats from Taukihepa (Big South Cape Island), Pukeweka, Rerewhakaupoko (Solomon) and nearby Mokonui (Big Moggy) islands to allow for the recovery of a range of endangered species and the restoration of the islands’ unique ecosystem (See press release). Please visit the Main Project Page for more information about the island ecosystems, sooty shearwaters, and other useful links.