Help us monitor Kea chicks in Nelson Lakes nests this season!
Monitoring breeding kea and their chicks at Nelson Lakes to better protect them from introduced mammalian predators.
Saint Arnaud, Tasman
Kea in Nelson Lakes National Park are struggling. Since the KCT and Department of Conservation began monitoring kea (using nest cameras in 2011), we have recorded rats, possums, stoats and feral cats visiting nests and killing and eating kea eggs and chicks. Each year this has meant only one or two chicks have survived to fledging. Protection of these nests is therefore paramount to this populations ongoing survival. A network of traps (including live traps targeting feral cats) has been built up over the years and now surrounds these nests - last year 5 feral cats and 14 possums were caught in the live traps alone while a record number of kea chicks (six!) were successfully raised! This year we need your help to continue this work; monitoring breeding pair status, chicks development and maintaining these traps.
About us
The Kea Conservation Trust was set up in 2006 to assist in conservation of wild Kea (Nestor notabilis) in their natural habitat and to increase the husbandry standards and advocacy potential of those Kea held in captive facilities within New Zealand.
Use of funds
Kea ranger time to set up and maintain nest and pest camera traps, process camera footage, help maintain traps and band any new chicks prior to fledging for follow up sightings.
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