A pathway follows along the lake edge leading people to the start of the Kepler track, one of the Great Walks of New Zealand.
This area is largely made up of regenerating forest and rocky/sandy shore.
Stoat traps along the shoreline would benefit not only the Crested Grebe, but a range of forest birds and water fowl that also inhabit the area.
Stoat trapping presently takes place along the Kepler track. The Crested Grebe project would complement this trapping network further adding protection to a wider area.
Cost – one off $2,000
Timeframe
The project can be completed within 2 months of securing the funding. The benefits to the birds in the local vicinity will be apparent in the first breeding season.
Crested Grebe lake shore project
Crested Grebes have disappeared from many parts of the South Island due to introduced mammals predating on their nests. In Fiordland they have declined severely, but still today a small number of birds inhabit Lake Te Anau. Grebes breed along the shoreline on Lake Te Anau often building their nests on submerged branches like an anchored pontoon. Unfortunately this does not deter stoats who are well adapted to swimming a short distance for a tasty morsel. Crested grebes often nest along the 4km of shoreline between the DOC office and the outlet of Lake Te Anau.
Project Outline
Crested Grebe nest – Lake Te Anau
Photo by Graham Dainty
