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Breeding ecology of a translocated population of great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii)

  • Publication Type

    Journal

  • Publication Year

    2021

  • Author(s)

    R. Toy; S. Toy

  • Journal Name

    Notornis

  • Volume, Issue

    68, 2

  • Pagination

    131-146

  • Article Type

    Paper

Keywords

Apteryx haastii; breeding; camera monitoring; great spotted kiwi; mustelid; predator control; roroa; translocation; Weka


Breeding ecology of a translocated population of great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii)

Notornis, 68 (2), 131-146

R. Toy; S. Toy (2021)

Article Type: Paper

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Breeding success, survival, and lack of dispersal are all fundamental to the long-term success of animal translocations. Monitoring breeding of great spotted kiwi (roroa, Apteryx haastii) is challenging because they have a low reproductive rate and may abandon eggs or chicks if disturbed. Roroa were translocated to the Flora Stream area, Kahurangi National Park, New Zealand, by the community group, Friends of Flora Inc. and the Department of Conservation. We monitored 55 post-translocation breeding attempts, among 14 roroa pairs, over eight years. Mustelid predation was the only identified cause of chick death. Chick survival to one year is estimated as 26–52%. This is sufficient for population growth, but all chicks known to have survived were hatched by only two pairs. A strategy to monitor long-term genetic health is proposed.