Conservation of New Zealand Birds

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to the conservation of New Zealand birds, including definitions and significance of each term.

Endemism

The condition of being unique to a particular geographic region, with 88% of birds in New Zealand being endemic.

Introduced Mammals

Mammals that are not native to New Zealand and have significant negative impacts on local wildlife.

Translocation

The intentional movement and release of a living organism aimed at conservation benefits, often used in New Zealand to move threatened bird species to predator-free sanctuaries.

Moa

An extinct flightless bird species native to New Zealand, known for its large size.

Kiore

The Pacific rat (Rattus exulans), introduced by Māori, which caused significant ecological impacts on native bird populations.

Cryptic Plumage

A type of camouflage adaptation in birds that helps them to avoid predation.

Mustelids

A family of carnivorous mammals including weasels and ferrets, introduced to New Zealand and highly harmful to native flightless birds and their eggs.

Habitat Restoration

The process of returning a natural habitat to a healthy state after it has been degraded or destroyed, a key component of conservation in New Zealand for creating safe spaces for native birds.

Kiwi

A flightless bird native to New Zealand, symbolizing New Zealand’s unique avifauna and a focus of intensive conservation efforts against introduced predators.

Natural Ecosystem Functions

Processes carried out by organisms that maintain ecological balance and support life.

Conservation Status

A measure of the likelihood that a species will continue to survive in the wild, often assessed by organizations like the IUCN or New Zealand's Department of Conservation to prioritize conservation actions.

Avifauna

The birds of a particular region, habitat, or time period.

Extinction

The end of an organism or a species, which has permanently disappeared from Earth. New Zealand has experienced significant avian extinctions following human settlement and the introduction of mammalian predators.

Predator Control in New Zealand

Intensive management strategies, including trapping, baiting, and aerial poisons (1080), implemented across mainland and island environments to eradicate or suppress introduced mammalian predators (e.g., stoats, rats, possums, feral cats) that devastate native bird populations. These programs are critical for the survival of endemic, ground-nesting, and flightless birds.

Offshore Island Sanctuaries

Islands around New Zealand that have been cleared of introduced mammalian predators, serving as vital refuges for endangered endemic bird species. These islands allow populations to thrive in predator-free environments, often serving as source populations for translocations back to the mainland once predator control is established there. Popular examples include Tiritiri Matangi and Kapiti Island.

Species Recovery Programmes

Dedicated, multi-faceted conservation efforts focused on critically endangered native New Zealand bird species, such as the Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) and Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri). These programmes integrate translocation, intensive predator management, captive breeding, supplementary feeding, habitat restoration, and close monitoring to prevent extinction and facilitate population growth.