Something Strange Over Hagley Park

In case your nightmares weren't potent enough, behold the Giant Weta (a small one at that)

Maud Island

We spent a fabulous productive week saving the earth and eating and hanging out with our new best Irish friends, Mel and Jen (with whom we watched "Far and Away" thereby proving America's inherent superiority over Ireland, where peasants rot in misery). We were hosted by an uber-smart family of scientists, Richard, Leigh and their kids, who live on the island and care for its creatures.

Invading the Space of the Little Blue Penguins

My apologies for the sideways-ness, but I thought the Little Blue Penguins, native to NZ, would be worth it as they are super cute.

Planting Ngaio (a native New Zealand bush that can no longer be found in the bush)

Various NZ Critters and a Testament to Our Heroic Native Tree Planting

Hyper-advanced technology in predator trapping (when I say trapping I mean neck-breaking)

The Wonderings of Seriously Inbred Birds

Apparently, the takahe were the prey of the extinct Haast Eagle, the largest eagle ever known (it had a three meter wingspan and a Maori myths notes that it would swoop down and capture little children). The blue/green feathers on the takahe's back are the evolutionary traits that allowed it to camouflage into the foilage in order to escape the gaze of the giant eagle. However, these evolutionary powers failed to protect the takahe from pretty much everything that now inhabits the New Zealand landscape. Consequently, there are only 60 left and those 60 are almost exclusively existing because of the constant love and care provided by the Department of Conservation.

Protecting the Magical Takahe

According to the New Zealand Department of Conservation, the takahe is an endangered species and a "unique bird, the largest living member of the rail family, was once thought to be extinct. There were only four recorded sightings of takahē last century and then none were seen until 1948. In that year a few pairs were rediscovered in the alpine tussock grasslands of the Murchison Mountains, Fiordland...Since 1984 these birds have bred and increased the total population on islands to about 60 birds...An important management development has been the stringent control of predators" specifically stoats, rats and ferrets.

As you can see, Travis and I saved the takahe in our trapping, tracking and photographing efforts. The trapping includes replacing the rotten eggs in the mammal traps with fresh chicken eggs. Tracking is a whole different matter. The takahe wear little backpacks that transmit radio frequency that can only be picked up with the super high-tech equipment wielded by Travis. We had to locate the whereabouts of the takahe on the island so that the scientists have an idea of where they will nest come breeding season.