A brown teal, or pateke, 20 of which were released into the
Fiordland National Park last year. Another 40 ducks are to
be released in the area this month. Photo by Erina Green.
Forty brown teal (pateke) will be released into Fiordland
this month following the release of 20 of the birds last year.
Survival rates of the 20 pateke released last March into the
Arthur Valley area of the Fiordland National park had been
the highest of all first-time captive releases.
Department of Conservation Te Anau biodiversity ranger Andrew
Smart said the birds had made themselves at home, with two
pairs attempting to breed, sitting on nests due to hatch "any
day".
If successful, they will be the first ducklings produced at
any release site within the first year of being transferred
there.
The release of 40 more birds was possible because of a
nation-wide effort of private breeders, conservation trusts,
Ngati Wai, Ngai Tahu and businesses supporting the project.
The project was sponsored by Ultimate Hikes, which runs
guided walks on the Milford and Routeburn Tracks, with Real
Journeys contributing to flying costs.
"With only around 2000 purebred pateke living in a wild state
in New Zealand, this second release of pateke into the South
Island is going to make a real difference."
If survival rates were good, more than 200 pateke could be
released into Fiordland over the next five years, Mr Smart
said.
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