Conservation of the black stilt

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/black-stilt-himantopus-novaezelandiae/new-zealand-rare-endangered-black-stilt

Black stilt / Kaki

• One of the rarest wading birds in the world

• Endemic to NZ

• Plumage is completely black

• Long red legs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Stilt

Black stilt / Kaki

• Mate for life

• Sometimes mate with the closely related pied stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

• Live in braided rivers and wetlands

• Distribution – once common throughout New Zealand, now only found in braided rivers of the MacKenzie Basin

Black stilt / Kaki

• IUCN status - critically endangered

• Population size – declined to as little as 23 birds in the wild.

• Managed since 1981

Threats• Habitat loss – the drainage of wetlands and channalisation of

rivers

• Predation – introduced of mammals such as cats, ferrets and hedgehogs.

• May also be increased by 1080 control on rabbits populations (Wallis, 1999)

• Recreational users of rivers and wetlands

• Fishing and walkers - crushing of eggs and chicks

• Jet boats – scare adult birds away from nests.

Vulnerability increased due to:

• Timing – black stilt chicks are born earlier than other chicks

• Length of fledging – chicks are dependant for 39-55 days before fledging.

• Nest alone rather than in colonies i.e. less protection

• Hybridisation with pied stilts - can reduce the number of offspring with 'pure' black stilt genetics.

Conservation by numbers

• Intensive management of the black stilt began in 1981.

• Department of Conservation (DOC) opened a captive breeding centre near Twizel and by 2005 the number of wild Kaki had increased to 55.

• Kaki Recovery Programme hatched 139 chicks in the 2013/2014 season and estimate breeding adult numbers to be between 58-78.

Conservation Efforts• Removing eggs from nests to promote relaying by parents.

• Controlling water levels in managed wetlands

to encourage bird feeding and breeding.

• Trapping of predators around known nests.

• Captive breeding

• Predator proof fences

http://docnz.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/cody-glen-juvenile-kaki-release.jpg

http://blog.doc.govt.nz/tag/kaki/

Successful hatchings of the 2012/2013 season

Release of captive bred sub-adult birds into the wild

http://blog.doc.govt.nz/tag/kaki/

Problems with captive reared Kaki● Iodine deficencies - the cause of death in hatchlings,

embyros and released sub-adult birds.

● Pododermatitis – a disease common in the feet of the captive bred birds

● Migration - birds migrate from desired sub-populations after being released into the wild.

Possible future conservation

● Establish a self-sustaining population on a predator free offshore island

● Continue with current monitoring

To summarise...● 30 years of work by New Zealand's Department of

Conservation and the community within the MacKenzie Basin has prevented the extinction of the black stilt.

● The population is slowly recovering through captive breeding and other conservation efforts.

● Black stilts are far from safe from the risks of extinction.

● Slow increases in population size means ongoing conservation will be required for some time.