The loss of our native birds from the wild has been revealed in its full extent for the first time, with a bleak and sweeping stock-take showing major hits for most endemic species.

But keeping our birds in large numbers can be achieved for a realistic price, says the Landcare Research scientist who has presented the startling figures to top ecologists.

A comparison of monitoring data, collected over periods in the 1970s and early 2000s, showed significant falls in well-known species such as brown kiwi, kokako, Kaka, rifleman, tomtit and blue duck, or whio.

View original story from Jamie Morton, NZ Herald here

DoC scientist says result helped breeding birds but is disappointed some pests survived.

A major 1080 poison offensive succeeded in wiping out 95 per cent of rats and 85 per cent of stoats in targeted forests around the country, but the result was still below what a Department of Conservation scientist was hoping for.

As part of a $ 21 million project dubbed The Battle for our Birds, DoC staff launched 27 aerial pest control operations between last August and February over hundreds of thousands of hectares of beech forest, mainly in the South Island.

Forest & Bird congratulates the New Zealand police for making an arrest as part of their investigation into a 1080 threat to infant formula late last year.
” This threat wasn't just a challenge for our dairy industry and exports, it also had the potential to damage our ability to control introduced predators that are killing our native wildlife, " explained Kevin Hackwell, Group Manager of Campaigns and Advocacy at Forest & Bird.

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Monitoring studies show that targeted pest control operations last summer have led to record survival rates for short-tailed bats in the Eglinton valley in Fiordland.
DOC undertook a coordinated pest control programme in the Fiordland National Park valley last spring to combat a beech seed-fuelled rat and stoat plague over the summer.

Results show 99% of the bat population survived following the Battle for our Birds pest control operation.

This is almost twice the survival rates (50-60%) shown to occur without pest control in a beech mast (seeding) year.

The fight against introduced predators across New Zealand will receive a significant boost through $2.13 million in Community Conservation Partnerships fund money announced today by Conservation Minister Maggie Barry.

"Pests like possums, rats and stoats are, without any doubt, the biggest threat to our native wildlife,” Ms Barry says.

"Birds such as the kiwi, kakapo and kokako evolved for millions of years in a world without teeth and with no mammals, and have no natural defenses against them. Predation has taken some native species to extinction, and we can't let the same thing happen to our remaining natural treasures.”

31 community groups from Whangarei to Fiordland will be able to start new pest control projects, expand existing efforts and make plans for the future.

The number of bovine tuberculosis (TB) infected foci has dropped below 40 for the first time in the history of New Zealand's TBfree programme delivered by OSPRI. According to this week's figures, an all-time low of 36 herds were infected with bovine TB (34 cattle and two deer herds).

History of Auckland Now (Stuff.co.nz), 9 Sep 2015

Two more pairs of kokako have been released into Auckland's Hunua Ranges, as the area is treated with 1080 to make it more habitable for the endangered birds.

The kokako were captured in Pureora Forest Park near Taumarunui on Tuesday and Wednesday and driven up to the Hunuas, south east of Auckland.

The New Zealand Herald

Dog-owners will be discouraged from taking their pets into Auckland's Hunua Ranges for at least four months after a major drop of 1080 poison began today.

Watercare has taken two of its four Hunua supply dams out of service until they receive a clean bill of health, and three regional parks have been closed to the public for five days.

For all you need to know on the Hunua Ranges 1080 operation click here.