Looking to make an impact this Earth Month? Here’s how.
Island Conservation
New Zealand’s plan to remove invasive predators by 2050 stands to benefit human health by eliminating pathways for disease transmission. New Zealand’s ambitious project to remove invasive predators by 2050 has raised hopes for and discussion about the island nation’s ecological health. Predator Free 2050 certainly stands to benefit native plants and wildlife, but it […]
New Zealand Department of Conservation releases three Whio ducklings to add to the most successful breeding season on record. The back of New Zealand’s $10 dollar bill features one of the island nation’s most threatened species, and no, it is not the beloved Kiwi, but rather the Blue Duck, also known as the Whio. The […]
After new population studies, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has uplisted the Kea from Vulnerable to Endangered. New Zealand’s only Alpine Parrot species, the Kea, has been officially declared Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The large, green parrot had been listed as Vulnerable, but recent studies show that […]
CNN’s “The Wonder List” explores stories of incredible places, people, and species. In their latest episode, journalist Bill Weir investigates New Zealand’s ambitious Predator Free 2050 initiative. New Zealand was once a bird’s paradise where no native mammalian predators were ever found. Now, invasive predators including rats, possums, and stoats threaten the native wildlife that still remains. […]
Takahē populations reach 300 for the first time in decades, but new conservation innovations are needed to save the species. Sometimes in life, modest milestones can feel like huge victories. Such is the case for conservation efforts aimed at protecting New Zealand’s South Island Takahē. Takahē are large flightless rails that live in the New […]
Kiwi once thrived throughout New Zealand but began to decline when invasive predators arrived. Conservationists are working to save the species, but the future is uncertain. What would New Zealand be like without its native Kiwi? New Zealand’s national bird, the Kiwi, once numbered in the millions throughout the island nation, but today only 68,000 […]
James Russell visits Stewart Island to find out how people feel about the proposed efforts to remove invasive predators. By: James Russell Rakiura/Stewart Island is the southernmost inhabited point of New Zealand. Here, islanders carve out an existence for themselves among the harsh but beautiful environment. I was visiting to understand how the community feels […]
Conservationists, including Island Conservation’s Director of Science Nick Holmes, speak at the Island Invasives Conference 2017 press briefing. How early would you get up to prevent extinctions? Whether we’re filming the dramatic recovery of Desecheo National Wildlife Refuge, or participating in an international online press conference, a 04:30 wakeup call is par for the course […]
New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 project garners attention as conservationists watch to see how developing technology will support island restoration. New Zealand has one of the highest proportions of threatened species to non-threatened species in the world and is a hotspot for invasive species. Although the island nation has been dealing with invasive predators for […]
Conservationists in New Zealand are working to reintroduce the North Island Robin to the Tararua range, where the population has dwindled due to invasive species. The North Island Robin is a small, grey bird native throughout New Zealand. But in the 1970’s they disappeared from parts of their natural habitat including the Tararua range. Why? Invasive […]