Project outline

The Arthur Valley forms part of the Milford Track. This track has approximately 16,000 walkers annually.

Stoat control for the protection of Whio/Blue Ducks began in the Arthur Valley in 2003 and the Joes River in 2005. Pateke were present in the Arthur Valley until the mid 1990’s. For this reason and with the established stoat control, this made the Arthur an attractive location to reintroduce Pateke to the south.

Before the release of the initial twenty birds an additional network of one hundred stoat trap tunnels was established around the release site and in the areas where we believed the birds would establish territories.

Supplementary food stations are established at the release site. This allows the birds to transition from a captive diet to foraging for their own food.

During spring, summer and autumn monitoring involves two or three days a week in the field radio tracking the birds.

All forty birds will have transmitters attached. This will allow staff to monitor survival. Any birds found dead will be sent to Massey University for necropsy to ascertain cause of death. This will guide future management of the population.

During winter the monitoring drops back to one radio tracking helicopter flight every two weeks. If weather allows some time will be spent in the field allowing some close monitoring to occur.

Some advocacy information will be provided at Dumpling Hut outlining the project and the sponsors involved.

Real Journeys has provided a flight from Queenstown to Milford return to transfer the pateke and a couple of minders. Real Journeys has agreed to do the same for this year’s release. This saves the project an estimated $1000. Outlined below is the budget for 2010. The third release in 2011 will cost a similar amount.

Cost – per transfer

$20,000

 

Timeframe
3 transfers – March 2009, March 2010, March 2011

Project code –

patekeart1

 

 

Pateke (Brown Teal) Release in the Arthur Valley – Milford Track

teal with chicks

Ultimate Hikes

The Pateke Conservation project managed by the Department of Conservation utilises proven methodology and provides excellent protection for the pateke/Brown Teal. The pateke is endemic and is New Zealand’s most endangered species of waterfowl. In March 2009 twenty sub-adult pateke were released into the Arthur Valley (Fiordland National Park) to trial whether our predator control programme was sufficient to ensure their survival. This was the first large release of pateke in the South Island. To date this has been one of the most successful releases of pateke anywhere in the country.

In early March 2010 we plan to release a further forty pateke into the Arthur Valley. This will be followed by a further forty in March 2011. The plan is to build a self sustaining population by 2014.

Media Release – 24 February 2011

Another Major Boost for Fiordland’s Endangered Pateke Population

Fiordland Conservation trust manager holds a pateke or brown teal, released in Fiorldland

Eighty pateke/Brown Teal, New Zealand’s rarest waterfowl, are to be released into Fiordland National Park today.

The captive reared pateke are to be flown into the Arthur Valley area near Milford and released, thanks to a partnership between the Fiordland Conservation Trust and the Department of Conservation.

DOC Te Anau Biodiversity Ranger Andrew Smart said over the past two years fifty nine pateke have been released into the Arthur Valley, so this weeks release of eighty birds is a significant increase. This is the only release occurring in the South Island.

“This project would not be possible without the nationwide effort and support of our partners including Ultimate Hikes, Otago Community Trust, Peacock Springs and the captive breeders” Rachel Cockburn, Manager for the Fiordland Conservation Trust said.

The birds have been flown from Christchurch to Queenstown by Air New Zealand and then driven to Milford Sound. From Milford they are being flown by helicopter to the release site. Pateke were once New Zealand’s most abundant waterfowl. However a combination of predation, loss of habitat and cross-breeding with mallards and grey ducks, meant numbers declined to a low of approximately only 660 birds in 2001. Over the past few years their numbers have increased through a number of successful releases and predator control in natural sites. There are now approximately 2000-2500 individuals.

“Pateke were once relatively common in Fiordland but have been decimated mainly by stoats. So it’s great to see then back. Through ongoing predator control and releases they are making a comeback. We hope to see some ducklings in the near future and secure this species once again in Fiordland” Mr Smart said.

“The goal of this project is to establish a self-sustaining population of pateke in the Arthur Valley. This large release will be a considerable step forward to reaching this goal”.
This release is part of a nationwide programme to secure pateke from extinction. The Fiordland work is an integral part of this work, due to the size of habitat being protected and it’s location in New Zealand’s largest National Park.

80 pateke/brown teal being released in the Arthur Valley, Fiordland. Photo © Barry Harcourt

Media Release – 23 March 2010

Major Boost for Fiordland’s Endangered Pateke Population

39 pateke/Brown Teal, New Zealand’s rarest waterfowl were released into their new surroundings in the Arthur Valley, Fiordland last week.

The captive reared pateke were flown into the Arthur Valley area near Milford and released by the Department of Conservation in a project partnered by the Fiordland Conservation Trust and Ultimate Hikes.

The latest transfer follows the successful release of 20 birds in the area last year which saw 14 birds survive – one of the highest survival rates ever for first time captive releases.

DOC Te Anau Biodiversity Ranger Andrew Smart said yesterday’s release of 40 birds was made possible by the nationwide effort of private breeders, conservation trusts, Ngati Wai, Ngai Tahu and local businesses supporting the project.

The pateke were prepared for release into the wild at Peacock Springs Wildlife Park in Christchurch where they were taught to use supplementary feeders, banded and fitted with transmitters. They were then flown to Queenstown.

They were then transferred free of charge by a Real Journeys plane into Milford Sound and helicoptered into the Arthur Valley close to the Milford Track before being finally released.

Ultimate Hikes employee Jemma Knowles, who participated in the release, said the Teal looked very happy in their new home. “This is such a neat project to be involved with. It would be a great achievement if people walking on the tracks in this area could one day get a glimpse of the pateke once the population increases in numbers”.

FCT Manager Rachel Cockburn said that having Ultimate Hikes partnering this project is crucial to the success of it, but also testament to the foresight of John Davies, chairman of Ultimate Hikes, and a founding trustee of the Fiordland Conservation Trust. “John is now the patron of the Conservation Trust due to his passion for conservation in this area”.

Mr Smart will be staying in the area for the next few days to provide supplementary food for the birds as they learn to forage and feed themselves in the wild.

“If survival rates are good more than 200 pateke could be released into Fiordland over the next five years. With only 2000 purebred pateke living in a wild state in New Zealand, this second release of pateke into the south island is going to make a real difference,” Mr Smart said. “It is great to have DOC and these local businesses working closely together”.

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Photography © : PhotoArt Fiordland    Rod Morris    Department of Conservation