Archived content: This media release was accurate on the date of publication.
Date: 18 March 2015
The Northland Conservation Board has just released an A3 colour poster highlighting the plight of kūkupa (New Zealand pigeon or kereru) as part of the Board's Save the Kūkupa campaign. The posters will be distributed around Northland through Board members and will be available to community groups/iwi/hapu.
Save the kūkupa poster
"There is more to the humble kūkupa than first meets the eye," says Northland Conservation Board Chair Mita Harris. "Actually, our Northland forests need kūkupa to survive."
"It's a very sad fact that kūkupa are the only remaining species able to disperse the large seeds of our huge forest trees. Our forests are under threat as kūkupa numbers have declined dramatically because of illegal hunting, habitat loss, competition, and predation," says Mita Harris. "The core purpose of the Save the Kūkupa campaign is simple: every kūkupa protected helps our forests live on for future generations."
"In an intact ecosystem, a kūkupa might expect to live for 20 years or more. Currently, they survive, on average, for a dismal five years before falling victim to illegal hunting, pests, cars, or collision with windows. This represents a huge loss to the breeding population. This is compounded by the fact kūkupa have a very slow reproduction rate, raising only one chick at a time."
Mita Harris says that a huge amount of work across Northland was already being carried out to protect and support the kūkupa into the future. However, the Northland Conservation Board's Save the Kūkupa campaign stressed that everyone and anyone in Northland has a part to play. "The future of kūkupa and our Northland forests is in our hands."
Save the kūkupa
- Don't hunt kūkupa and report illegal kūkupa poaching by calling the DOC emergency hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).
- Be a responsible cat owner - keep and feed cats indoors
- Control pest predators in your bush by trapping and baiting
- Grow kūkupa-friendly plants on your property that provide food and shelter
- Help prevent kūkupa window strikes. You can use window decals or stickers on your windows to let birds know there is a barrier
Request posters
To request poster contact:
Board Support Officer
Jeannie Hogarth
Phone: +64 9 470 3352
Email: jhogarth@doc.govt.nz
Download the poster
For more information about kūkupa or advice about how you can help protect kūkupa contact a conservation group such as Kereru Discovery, Forest & Bird, or the Department of Conservation.
Contact
Mita Harris
Northland Conservation Board Chair
Phone: +64 27 584 4332