Robin Transfer from Breaksea Island to Passage Islands and Chalky Island –
Chalky Inlet.
Project sponsored by Chalky Digits
The South Island robin was once common throughout forests in the South Island. Today however this bold opportunistic bird is often absent when we take a walk in the forest. Although still present in pockets on the mainland, robust populations remain only on predator-free islands. Back in 1900, Richard Henry, one of New Zealand’s first conservationists known as the ‘hermit of Dusky Sound,’ threw his hands in the air when he first sighted a stoat on Resolution Island. In the seven years prior Henry had dedicated his life to making Resolution a sanctuary for birds like kiwi and kakapo, rescuing them from the jaws of the stoat. Ninety years later Chalky and the Passage Islands in Chalky Sound were the first islands in history where an attempt was made to eradicate stoats from an island.
Update
Last winter chalkydigits clothing crafted a distinctive pin badge of our native South Island Robin in aid of returning these vulnerable birds to the off shore sanctuary, Chalky Island. AND THEY HAVE DONE IT! Thanks to a huge response from the public, in March chalkydigits will be travelling to the island with the similar name in Fiordland to release these cheeky wee birds (which originally inhabited the island prior to a fatal stoat invasion) and they are taking one lucky chalkydigits fan with them!
Jeni Pelvin of Dunedin won chalkydigits summer Chalky Island competition and now she will heading off on the trip of a lifetime, helping to make conservation history in New Zealand. The project involves being flown by helicopter to the remote island to release the birds, heading by boat back to the mainland to capture more birds from the bush for the second release, and then back to Te Anau by helicopter. Jeni is particularly excited at this opportunity as conservation has been a lifelong passion for her; she studied Ecology at Otago Uni and her family is active in local conservation initiatives in Dunedin. “South Island Robins are national treasures. What a privilege to be able to participate in chalkydigits Chalky Island project - I'm stoked!” says Jeni.
Now, the chalkydigits staff just has to get ready for their momentous trip down to the deep south and somehow still manage to get their Winter 2010 range completed and in store by mid-March. “It’s worth every ounce of extra pressure this season for this awesome opportunity to help protect one of New Zealand’s unique species for the generations to come” says the director of chalkydigits, Liz Collins. “We genuinely love our land at chalkydigits, it’s most often the inspiration for the graphics on our garments and so we’re really glad to be able to advance its preservation”.
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