Rare blue duck sighting in National Park

April 24th, 2013
[Press release]

The sighting of a blue duck or whio in the Abel Tasman National Park has given hope a population of the rare native bird may be established in the park.

Blue duck have only been recorded twice in the park during the last 20 years. Last Thursday, Andy White from Wilsons Abel Tasman, was guiding a group of kayakers at the mouth of the Falls River when he saw and photographed what he thought was a blue duck (see cropped photo, right). Department of Conservation staff have now confirmed it was a blue duck.

"I have spent six seasons working in the Abel Tasman and never seen a blue duck before so to see this one was a bit of a highlight. To think that they may be coming back or already living in the park is really cool," he says.

Blue duck or whio are designated as "nationally vulnerable" and inhabit clean, fast flowing streams in the forested upper catchments of rivers. It is estimated only 700 pairs remain in the south island.

Project Janszoon's bird expert Peter Gaze says It would be very exciting if this sighting led to the discovery of a population of blue duck already living in the Abel Tasman National Park.

"Blue duck might be more widespread and abundant in the park than we realise. If they are, they will have suffered from stoat and possum predation so can be expected to respond well to the pest management which Project Janszoon is currently undertaking in the park," he says.

In January a trap network over 4,500 hectares of the high country area of the park was activated as part of Project Janszoon's goal of re-establishing stable populations of lost or threatened birds, plants and animals. Over the next 12 months this network will be extended across another 10,000 hectares down to the Awaroa Estuary and the coast track.

Department of Conservation Area Manager Martin Rodd says the blue duck sighting has prompted DOC to investigate the area. "The survival of blue duck is based on the amount of predation and the suitability of the habitat. DOC experts will now walk the river investigating the suitability of habitat and look for more signs of blue duck," he says.

One of Project Janszoon's goals is to re-introduce lost or threatened birds like blue duck to the Abel Tasman National Park.

"A survey of the likely habitat at the Falls, Awaroa and Awapoto catchments would allow us to better understand the current situation and whether Project Janszoon could re-establish a strong whio population by bringing in new birds," says Peter Gaze. If visitors to the park think they see a blue duck they should contact DOC or Project Janszoon through the website www.janszoon.org

Project Janszoon is a charitable trust which aims to transform the ecological prospects of the Abel Tasman National Park over the next 30 years in partnership with DOC. It is currently working to reverse the incursions of predators and weeds in the park and re-establish stable populations of lost or threatened birds, plants and animals.

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