Donations making huge difference to Southern NZ Dotterel

array ( 'name' => 'nav/index.php', 'clone' => '', 'clone_field' => 'n', 'post_id' => 2276, 'class' => '-forest', 'attr' => array ( ), 'header' => false, 'layout_name' => 'nav', 'l_name' => 'nav/index.php', 'l_class' => '-forest', 'l_attr' => array ( ), )

array ( 'name' => 'header/index.php', 'clone' => array ( 'heading' => 'Donations making huge difference to endangered Southern NZ Dotterel..', ), 'clone_field' => 'h', 'post_id' => 2276, 'class' => 'layout layout-b0 -noBorder -forest', 'attr' => array ( ), 'header' => false, 'layout_name' => 'header', 'l_counter' => 1, 'l_name' => 'header/index.php', 'l_class' => 'layout layout-b0 -noBorder -forest', 'l_attr' => array ( ), )

array ( 'name' => 'header_image/index.php', 'clone' => array ( 'hero_image' => array ( 'id' => 2277, 'alt' => '', 'title' => 'DOC Pukunui rangers Harry and Charlie setting up traps at Rakiura', 'caption' => '', 'description' => '', 'mime_type' => 'image/jpeg', 'url' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap_1920x1008_acf_cropped.jpeg', 'width' => 1920, 'height' => 1008, 'sizes' => array ( 'thumbnail' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap.jpeg', 'thumbnail-width' => 600, 'thumbnail-height' => 450, 'medium' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap.jpeg', 'medium-width' => 1920, 'medium-height' => 1440, 'medium_large' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap.jpeg', 'medium_large-width' => 768, 'medium_large-height' => 576, 'large' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap.jpeg', 'large-width' => 1920, 'large-height' => 1440, ), 'original_image' => array ( 'id' => 2277, 'alt' => '', 'title' => 'DOC Pukunui rangers Harry and Charlie setting up traps at Rakiura', 'caption' => '', 'description' => '', 'mime_type' => 'image/jpeg', 'url' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap.jpeg', 'width' => 1920, 'height' => 1440, 'sizes' => array ( 'thumbnail' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap.jpeg', 'thumbnail-width' => 600, 'thumbnail-height' => 450, 'medium' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap.jpeg', 'medium-width' => 1920, 'medium-height' => 1440, 'medium_large' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap.jpeg', 'medium_large-width' => 768, 'medium_large-height' => 576, 'large' => 'https://nznaturefund.org/assets/uploads/Harry-and-Charlie-with-trap.jpeg', 'large-width' => 1920, 'large-height' => 1440, ), ), ), 'image_credit' => '', ), 'clone_field' => 'hi', 'post_id' => 2276, 'class' => '-forest', 'attr' => array ( ), 'header' => false, 'layout_name' => 'header_image', 'l_counter' => 1, 'l_name' => 'header_image/index.php', 'l_class' => '-forest', 'l_attr' => array ( ), )

array ( 'name' => 'search_news/single/index.php', 'clone' => '', 'clone_field' => 'snsi', 'post_id' => 2276, 'class' => '-forest', 'attr' => array ( ), 'header' => false, 'layout_name' => 'search_news/single/index', 'l_name' => 'search_news/single/index.php', 'l_class' => '-forest', 'l_attr' => array ( ), )

array ( 'name' => 'search_news/slider_latest/index.php', 'clone' => '', 'clone_field' => 'snsli', 'post_id' => 2276, 'class' => '-forest', 'attr' => array ( ), 'header' => false, 'layout_name' => 'search_news/slider_latest/index', 'l_name' => 'search_news/slider_latest/index.php', 'l_class' => '-forest', 'l_attr' => array ( ), )

array ( 'name' => 'email_signup/index.php', 'clone' => '', 'clone_field' => 'es', 'post_id' => 2276, 'class' => '', 'attr' => array ( ), 'header' => false, 'layout_name' => 'email_signup', 'l_name' => 'email_signup/index.php', 'l_class' => '', 'l_attr' => array ( ), )

array ( 'name' => 'footer/index.php', 'clone' => '', 'clone_field' => 'f', 'post_id' => 2276, 'class' => '', 'attr' => array ( ), 'header' => false, 'layout_name' => 'footer', 'l_name' => 'footer/index.php', 'l_class' => '', 'l_attr' => array ( ), )

With the nesting season just one month away, DOC’s Pukunui team on Rakiura is busy preparing for the arrival of the birds on the island’s hilltops.

There are only 101 Southern Dotterel/Pukunui remaining, and NZ Nature Fund donors have rallied to the call to provide DOC funds as quickly as possible to increase the bird’s chances of survival.

Camera grid in place to monitor cats

Thanks to New Zealand Nature Fund (NZNF) donors, DOC’s Pukunui Recovery Team has set up 65 cameras around key dotterel breeding sites. The aim of the camera grid is to gain insights into the number of feral cats that visit the dotterel breeding areas, and determine the effectiveness of the team’s trapping efforts. As well as the cameras, batteries, and SD cards, NZNF also covered the cost of helicopter flights to the remote sites, allowing the DOC team to transport 26 heavy timber cat traps to the sites as well as the camera gear and staff.

Contract trappers to start soon

The Pukunui Recovery Team recently completed final interviews for two temporary trapping contractors, who will be appointed and working on Rakiura for the 2024/25 nesting season. With the help of these experienced trappers DOC’s Pukunui Recovery Team will be able to extend its trapping programme and monitor the nesting birds more closely. These trapping positions are also fully funded by NZNF donations.

Feral cat tally up

DOC Pukunui ranger Daniel Cocker was proud to inform us that the team has caught 16 feral cats in the past month, that’s over half the total tally in 2023/24. DOC has also rolled out an additional 33 Belisle Super X 220 feral cat kill traps, which have proven to be the most effective for trapping in the past.

There’s more work to do

DOC’s strategy for Pukunui/Southern Dotterel is to achieve increased security against extinction with a population size of at least 300 individuals by 2035. Donations to the NZNF will help accelerate DOC’s progress by funding resources and technology that can be purchased and implemented immediately.

We welcome donations of every size and we have options for donors who are interested in directly funding larger items that would make a significant difference in the fight to save to the Pukunui/Southern Dotterel.

New Zealand Nature Fund is a Charitable Trust which means that you can claim a tax credit of 33% for any donations over $5.