• 01/01/2012 - Hannah and her partner, Neil, have successfully hatched the season's first chick.
• 01/01/2012 - Hannah has been discovered to be a male kiwi (genetic testing was incorrect); we have performed a painless name swap for this breeding pair.
• 22/10/2011 - The Crow Whio (Blue Duck) pair have another healthy duckling this year.
• 11/10/2011 - "George" the 4 year old Kea found suffering severe lead poisoning almost 4 weeks ago has been released back into the Arthur's Pass Kea population. He was treated by the Hornby Veterinary Centre.
• 01/10/2011 - 2 pairs of Kererū (wood pigeon) have moved back into Bealey Valley; and the Weka are in mating mode.
• 30/09/2011 - About 8 Kea fledglings have been noted in Village area.
• 19/08/2011 - Two more Kea have been found dead on Highway (hit by vehicles). That is nearing 0.5% - 1% of the NZ's estimated remaining Kea population killed in one week!
• 17/08/2011 - Five Kea have been found shot & piled up on a picnic table at Klondyke Corner; a further Kea was also found in Hokitika also shot. Contact Police if you have any information about this senseless act.

1/01/2012: Neil & Hannah's first chick (350g) - Photo by G.Bruce-Smith
Click image to open original in larger window

Some history and statistics

• The Arthur's Pass Wildlife Trust was established in 2010, having evolved out of the original Arthur's Pass Kiwi Recovery Project founded in late 2002 in response to the "doomed" outcome probable for NZ's only urban population of Great Spotted Kiwi (GSK) or Roroa (Apteryx haastii).
• As a community we currently trap or control the various animals (Stoats, Weasels, Rats, Feral Cats and Possums) that predate the Kiwi eggs or juveniles.
• We believe currently there is 25-30 GSK's living in the environs of the Bealey Valley & Arthur's Pass village.

Sponsors and supporters

• BNZ Bank through the "Save the Kiwi Fund" has provided funding for professional support and hiring of kiwi handler contractors, kiwi transmitters, stoat trap line maintenance and replacement traps.
• Biodiversity Protection New Zealand provides funding for kiwi transmitter repairs/replacements and chick transmitters.
   
• Other funding has also been kindly donated by HikingGuys.co.nz, the Arthur's Pass Store and fund-raising events organised through Cashmere and Cust Schools (this funding has purchased complete trap-lines). Local funding has been provided by generous donations from various locals purchasing quantities of stoat traps.
• The Arthur's Pass Association has installed 3 stoat trap lines around the Bealey Spur settlement area. These are maintained by local residents. These lines will help provide some protection to the Arthur's Pass Kiwi Recovery Project by providing a buffer between farmland and the National Park, as well as promoting bird life recovery on the Bealey Spur itself.
• The project is overseen by the Department of Conservation (DOC) Kiwi Research Group who provide technical advice.

Project Scope

• Currently there are 28 traplines (25 in the project areas and 3 at Bealey Spur) consisting of 373 stoat traps and 144 possum feed stations. Since 2002 796 predators have been captured (738 in the project areas, and 58 at Bealey Spur).
• In February 2008 we commenced a program of finding and radio tagging adult, juvenile & chick Kiwi - currently we have 27 kiwi radio-tagged.
• Preliminary results from tracking down the Kiwi suggests...
  • We have up to 10 breeding pairs of Kiwi still present in the Bealey Valley, and of our 12 tracked pairs 6 pairs consistently attempt incubating eggs each year.
  • Some eggs are surviving the incubation stage, but other factors such as climate, chick health and predation has reduced the success of survival. Though at this stage we have monitored 5 successful hatchings leading to healthy juveniles in the past 4 years.
  • At least some juvenile Kiwi are surviving and obtaining a weight (1.2kg) that allows them to fend off stoat predation (2 juveniles found at 1600gms+ during initial capturing phase of project). It appears to take about 12-14 months for an Arthur's Pass chick to obtain a 1.2kg weight.
• Some notable side effects of our program have been...
  • Weka have moved back into the Bealey Valley and now appear to winter over.
  • South Island Robins have returned to the Village after a 30 year absense.
  • Whio (Blue Duck) have self-introduced into several catchments - Crow River, Upper & Lower Bealey River and the Otira River. The Crow River pair has had a successful breeding season (1 fledgling sighted). Whio have been absent for over 30 years in many of these catchments.
  • Long Tail Bats seem to be in more abundance (ie. getting noticed) than in previous times.
  • The native mistletoe on our beech trees is now flourishing.
  • Three pairs of ground nesting NZ Falcons have actually had chicks survive in the last season.
  • Small birds such as Tomtits, Waxeyes, Riflemen, Korimako (Bellbird) etc are now seen in flocks about the Village.
  • A pair of Tui has established themselves in the south side of the Village.
  • Wetas have been found thriving on the beech forest floor, even at treeline.
  • Native skink numbers appear to have increased, particularly about the Village precinct.
  • We now have a still subdued but at least present dawn chorus.
• If you would like further information about the project please .
• This site has been fully designed/maintained by Graeme Kates, and is a "passionate works in progress"!