Conservation of the black stilt (Himantopus novaezealandiae)

Conservation of the black stilt
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/black-stilt-himantopus-novaezelandiae/new-zealand-rare-endangered-black-stilt

Black stilt / Kaki
• One of the rarest wading birds in the world
• Endemic to New Zealand
• Plumage is completely black
• Long red legs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Stilt

Black stilt / Kaki
• Mate for life
• Sometimes mate with the closely related pied stilt (Himantopus
himantopus)
• Live in braided rivers and wetlands
• Once common throughout New Zealand, now only found in
braided rivers of the MacKenzie Basin, South Island

Black stilt / Kaki
• IUCN status - critically endangered
• Population size – declined to as little as 23 birds in the wild.
• Managed since 1981
http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/175314/

Threats
• Habitat loss – the drainage of wetlands and channalisation of
rivers
• Predation – introduced of mammals such as cats, ferrets and
hedgehogs during the european settlement.
• May also be concentrated because of 1080 control on
rabbit populations.
• Recreational users of rivers and wetlands
• Fishing and walkers - crushing of eggs and chicks
• Jet boats – scare adult birds away from nests.

Vulnerability increased due to:
• Timing – black stilt chicks are born earlier than other chicks so
they are subject to more concentrated predation pressure.
• Length of fledging – chicks are dependant for 39-55 days
before fledging and at risk for longer.
• Nest alone rather than in colonies i.e. less protection
• Hybridisation with pied stilts - can reduce the number of
offspring with 'pure' black stilt genetics.

Conservation by numbers
• Intensive management of the black stilt began in 1981.
• Department of Conservation (DOC) opened a captive breeding
centre near Twizel and by 2005 the number of wild black
stilt had increased to 55.
• Kaki Recovery Programme hatched 139 chicks in the
2013/2014 season and estimate breeding adult numbers to
be between 58-78 for early 2014.

Conservation Efforts
• Removing eggs from nests to encourage parents to lay a
second clutch.
• Controlling water levels in managed wetlands
to encourage bird feeding and breeding.
• Trapping of predators around known nests.
• Captive breeding
• Predator proof fences
http://docnz.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/cody-glen-juvenile-kaki-release.jpg

http://blog.doc.govt.nz/tag/kaki/
Successful hatchings of the
2012/2013 season

Release of captive bred sub-adult
birds into the wild
http://blog.doc.govt.nz/tag/kaki/

Problems with captive reared Kaki
●
Iodine deficencies - the cause of death in hatchlings,
embyros and released sub-adult birds.
●
Pododermatitis – a disease common in the feet of the captive
bred birds.
●
Migration - birds migrate from desired sub-populations after
being released into the wild.

Possible future conservation
●
Establish a self-sustaining population on a predator-free
offshore island.
●
Continue with current monitoring programs.

To summarise...
●
30 years of work by New Zealand's Department of
Conservation and the community within the MacKenzie
Basin has prevented the extinction of the black stilt.
●
The population is slowly recovering through captive
breeding and other conservation efforts.
●
Black stilts are far from safe from the risks of extinction.
●
Slow increases in population size means ongoing
conservation will be required for some time.

Conservation of the black stilt (Himantopus novaezealandiae)

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