New colony established for threatened bird

For immediate release: Monday 21 February 2011

New colony established for threatened bird

Up to 40 threatened mohua, or yellowhead, have been transferred to pest-free Pomona Island in Lake Manapouri in an exercise involving local volunteers, the Department of Conservation and Meridian Energy.

The mohua are being relocated from Breaksea Island off the Fiordland coast to Pomona, the largest island in a lake in New Zealand.

Pomona was cleared of five animal pest species – stoats, rats, mice, possums and deer – after an initiative which began in 2006 involving 200 volunteers putting in some 5500 hours of work.

The exercise is being conducted in conjunction with the Department of Conservation, and has been funded by Meridian Energy via a grant to the trust from its Manapouri-Te Anau community fund.

The birds were caught on Breaksea Island using mist nets and flown to Pomona by helicopter on Tuesday 15 February and Wednesday 16 February.

Pomona Island Charitable Trust spokesperson Viv Shaw says the aim of the exercise is to establish another viable colony of the threatened bird on a pest-free island.

“The island is an accessible location where locals and visitors will be able to see, hear and learn about native New Zealand flora and fauna, and the establishment of a colony of mohua will be a major step in that direction.”

The exercise is the second relocation of native birds to the island following the liberation of a number of South Island robin on Pomona in 2008.
ends

© Scoop Media