Contacts for media enquiries
Date: 26 November 2021 One hundred special skinks now have a safe new home with the establishment of DOC’s predator free Kapitia Scientific Reserve near Hokitika.
Date: 25 November 2021 Endangered tarāpuka/black-billed gulls have a habit of choosing unfortunate nesting sites – requiring some creative thinking from DOC rangers.
Date: 24 November 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A Government investment in six community and iwi-led projects across the Hawke’s Bay district will provide nature-based jobs for more than 60 locals, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 22 November 2021 Researchers are using the maramataka (Māori calendar) as part of the process to gather more evidence about the state of the whitebait fishery in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Date: 22 November 2021 An investigation into the deaths of 19 fur seals on the Kaikoura coast has revealed eight were shot. The deaths of the other seals are being treated as suspicious.
Date: 19 November 2021 Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, DOC, and Napier City Council are banding together to protect the endangered Hawke’s Bay’s tūturiwhatu/banded dotterel during their most vulnerable time of year.
Date: 20 November 2021 The chattering call and vibrant plumage of the kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet can now be found in the canopy of the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary after 20 of the critically endangered parakeets were released today.
Date: 19 November 2021 An important step has been taken to support the reclassification of stewardship land DOC has announced.
Date: 18 November 2021 A sperm whale has died after becoming stranded at Mahia Peninsula in Hawke’s Bay this morning.
Date: 18 November 2021 DOC is opting to protect the historic fabric of Otago’s Sam Summers Hut, by changing its status to day visitor use only.
Date: 17 November 2021 The Hakarimata Summit Track, one of the Waikato’s most popular walking tracks, reopens today as the region moves back to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
Date: 01 January 0001 Two new Jobs for Nature projects announced in the Tongariro area
Date: 17 November 2021 Recent bed bug reports at DOC huts in Southland have prompted local rangers to warn potential travellers to check their gear while travelling.
Date: 16 November 2021 A high-specification surveillance camera has been fitted to Taranaki’s tallest structure to aid DOC's monitoring of the Tapuae Marine Reserve.
Date: 12 November 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A Government-backed environmentally focused employment programme has created ten new jobs in Dannevirke.
Date: 11 November 2021 The first tara iti/fairy tern egg of the 2021/2022 breeding season has appeared at Papakānui, one of their four nesting sites that are all North of Auckland.
Date: 11 November 2021 Following Auckland’s latest shift to Alert Level 3 – Step 2, DOC is expecting a high number of visitors to the Hauraki Gulf islands and they are reminding people to follow the rules and be extra cautious.
Date: 10 November 2021 The concession fee waiver in place for tourism businesses operating on public conservation land will end on 31 December 2021, DOC has confirmed.
Date: 09 November 2021 Visitors to the Ōpārara Basin wanting to enjoy the stunning reflections in Mirror Tarn now have a new vantage point.
Date: 08 November 2021 Development of the Taranaki Crossing enters a new phase this month when work recommences to upgrade the existing track network from Pouakai Hut through to Manganui ski field.
Date: 09 November 2021 An innovative new trap lure has led to a breakthrough in the Rangitoto-Motutapu stoat hunt, with DOC confirming that one of the dangerous pests has been killed on the island.
Date: 08 November 2021 Conservationists will spend their summer on a remote predator free island to try and find out why a population of critically endangered kākāruia/kārure/black robin is declining.
Date: 05 November 2021 Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura and DOC are concerned about the deaths of 11 fur seals on the Kaikōura coast that are being treated as suspicious.
Date: 05 November 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A new Jobs for Nature project which is protecting Aotearoa’s rarest mainland forest bird has discovered a small unknown population in a Canterbury valley, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 03 November 2021 A complete moa skeleton is now on display at the DOC Kauaeranga Visitor Centre.
Date: 02 November 2021 The Heaphy Track now has a brand-new shelter which people travelling between Mackay and Heaphy Huts are finding makes for an excellent lunch spot.
Date: 29 October 2021 Campers organising trips to campsites between Wanaka and Makarora this summer may need to adjust their plans due to issues with two campground septic systems.
Date: 21 October 2021 Toyota Kiwi Guardians is celebrating the extraordinary achievement of 100,000 medals being claimed by Kiwi kids who are getting out in nature and enjoying this incredible programme.
Date: 21 October 2021 DOC is investigating concerning reports of kororā /little blue penguins being handled by people at coastal sites near Napier.
Date: 19 October 2021 DOC has issued more than 200 infringement notices and taken 11 prosecutions since it launched its new electronic Compliance and Law Enforcement (CLE) system in late 2020.
Date: 19 October 2021 Confirmation that an endangered juvenile Antipodean albatross has died after being caught by a foreign-flagged long line fishing vessel proves the value of a seabird satellite tracking programme.
Date: 14 October 2021 DOC is asking people to respect the remains of marine mammals after an incident with a whale on the East Coast last week.
Date: 14 October 2021 The Remuera Golf Club is seeing nature come to life on their course as they, and the community, come together to trap predators and pests and create nesting boxes for native species.
Date: 13 October 2021 For artist Sarah Hunter, the coast in central Hawke’s Bay means many things. Now based in Wellington, she grew up as a fourth-generation resident only 15 minutes from the Pōrangahau estuary.
Date: 12 October 2021 Source: The Office of the Minister of Conservation Reducing lead poisoning of kea, the world’s only alpine parrot and one-time New Zealand bird of the year winner, is the goal of a two year project being backed by the Government’s Jobs for Nature programme, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan says.
Date: 12 October 2021 DOC is extremely concerned about people feeding a juvenile New Zealand fur seal/kekeno who has taken up residence in the port of Gisborne.
Date: 01 January 0001 The new shared walking and cycling pathway through the West Coast community of Punakaiki is proving a hit with locals already.
Date: 08 October 2021 The Albert Town end of the Upper Clutha Track near Wanaka is closed for the coming weeks to protect a pair of New Zealand falcon/kārearea nesting in the area.
Date: 07 October 2021 Auckland’s boaties are being urged to adhere to rules around marine reserves and keep off the pest-free islands of the Hauraki Gulf, as city residents take to the water following changes to COVID-19 Alert Level restrictions.
Date: 07 October 2021 Toyota Kiwi Guardians is excited to announce the opportunity for children to win thousands of dollars to create their own green sanctuary at school.
Date: 06 October 2021 Source: The Office of the Minister of Conservation Government support for a mountain-to-sea landscape scale project to clean up rivers in the Marlborough Sounds will open up dozens of new job opportunities, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 04 October 2021 Paparoa Track hut wardens take up their places tomorrow as peak track use time begins.
Date: 04 October 2021 Source: The Office of the Minister of Conservation A Jobs for Nature-funded collaboration between communities and scientists is a crucial step in the fight to protect some of New Zealand’s best known native plants, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan says.
Date: 01 October 2021 The ballot for next year’s West Coast tahr hunting sites in the Hooker/Landsborough and Adams Wilderness Areas opens on 5 October.
Date: 30 September 2021 The Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds will fully reopen from tomorrow, Friday 1 October, just in time for the school holidays.
Date: 30 September 2021 Saturday 2 October marks the start of the 2021-2022 trout fishing season on lakes Tarawera, Rotoiti and Ōkataina.
Date: 30 September 2021 Trampers hiking Taranaki’s popular Pouakai Circuit will soon be able to secure a bed for the night with both huts along the busy track moving to online booking.
Date: 29 September 2021 Female kākā are making a comeback in the King Country as the native birds’ population continues to grow.
Date: 24 September 2021 Source: The Office of the Minister of Conservation New funding announced to help restore braided river valleys, alpine and pastoral lands in the South Island as part of the Jobs for Nature programme.
Date: 28 September 2021 A male North Island brown kiwi found dead on Mount Taranaki’s Puniho Track is believed to have been killed in a dog attack.
Date: 25 September 2021 The albatrosses at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head are on track for a record-breaking breeding season, as their Royal Cam star Tiaki takes to the skies.
Date: 24 September 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A number of initiatives to receive a boost from the Government’s Jobs For Nature programme, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 22 September 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation The expansion of a predator free apprenticeship programme is an opportunity for more people to kick-start a conservation career, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 23 September 2021 The two end sections of the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds are reopening this weekend after the DOC repaired storm damage.
Date: 22 September 2021 Fortunes are looking up for a tiny, jumping moth found only in Marlborough that had been feared extinct but has now been discovered in four new locations.
Date: 22 September 2021 DOC has proactively released documents about the 12-day operation to care for an orca calf that stranded on rocks near Wellington in July 2021.
Date: 21 September 2021 Ōamaru building owners are encouraged to regularly check their roofs to prevent red-billed gulls/tarāpunga from settling in for the breeding season.
Date: 20 September 2021 An unlucky male godwit/kuaka migrating back to the Firth of Thames has been forced into a massive u-turn over the Pacific Ocean and finished up back at his Alaskan take-off point after 57 hours of constant flight.
Date: 16 September 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A suite of new Jobs for Nature projects across the southern South Island have been announced.
Date: 16 September 2021 Visitors to Taranaki’s cultural heritage sites are being urged to take only photographs and leave only footprints after the discovery of several holes thought to be dug by fossickers at a significant pā site.
Date: 15 September 2021 DOC is asking for information from the public after receiving reports of a mutilated dolphin carcass.
Date: 14 September 2021 DOC is seeking information after two huts on the edge of Lake Manapouri in Fiordland National Park sustained substantial damage in early August.
Date: 14 September 2021 Work to improve access to the picturesque Fletcher Bay campsite begins this month.
Date: 14 September 2021 Source: Office of the Minister for Conservation The Government is pitching in to help vital work to protect nationally significant kauri forests in Auckland, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan says.
Date: 14 September 2021 Bat detectors placed in the Central North Island township of Owhango during June have revealed long-tailed bat (pekapeka-tou-roa) activity on all four detectors placed.
Date: 10 September 2021 It’s no exaggeration to say that the dedicated work of The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust has saved kākāriki karaka from extinction, making them true heroes of conservation in New Zealand.
Date: 10 September 2021 When Nigel Zhang arrived at Auckland Airport feeling overwhelmed, he remembered the words of Wendell Berry: “You don’t know who you are until you know where you are.”
Date: 09 September 2021 Rob Mills and his team run the unofficial accident and emergency ward for the Taranaki district’s battered and bruised native birds.
Date: 09 September 2021 Once near extinction due to widespread hunting, the New Zealand fur seal/kekeno are recolonising much of their former range as their population rebounds.
Date: 09 September 2021 DOC is preparing for a busy spring and asks people to enjoy their great outdoors responsibly, as regions outside of Auckland move to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.
Date: 07 September 2021 He’s known as the “Lizard Man”, and after 30 years talking about lizards and geckos Doug Ashby’s comfortable with the superhero-style moniker.
Date: 06 September 2021 Kids Greening Taupō has 50,000 reasons to believe the country’s 52nd annual Conservation Week will be another success – in spite of the activities being almost entirely virtual.
Date: 06 September 2021 A potential increase in sightings of subantarctic fur seals has DOC scientists asking members of the public to report any sightings of these long-distance travellers.
Date: 03 September 2021 As we enter Conservation Week (4-12 September 2021) and the nation’s 4th week at heightened COVID-19 alert levels, a new report highlights the importance of connection to nature and others in helping people get through the global pandemic.
Date: 02 September 2021 One hundred and fifty young kakī/black stilt have been released into Te Manahuna/Mackenzie Basin – a significant boost to the population of the critically endangered wading bird.
Date: 31 August 2021 DOC, Ngāti Toa iwi and Project Jonah are today using five boats to try to gently shepherd a pod of orca in Pāuatahanui Inlet out to sea.
Date: 12 August 2021 Conservation Minister, Kiri Allan has announced Jobs for Nature funding supporting new projects and established conservation programmes and sites in Taranaki.
Date: 30 August 2021 DOC is encouraging people to take a moment for nature at home or online this 52nd annual Conservation Week, 4 - 12 September 2021.
Date: 25 August 2021 Give wildlife space is a message DOC generally shares in the summer holiday season when there’s an influx of people to the Bay of Plenty’s public parks, reserves, and beaches.
Date: 25 August 2021 Boaties cruising around Coromandel’s Mercury Islands are being told to stay home as New Zealand’s COVID-19 restrictions continue.
Date: 20 August 2021 DOC is reminding people DOC facilities are closed following reports of breaches of the Government’s COVID-19 Level 4 rules on Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf Islands.
Date: 20 August 2021 An isolated ransomware attack occurred on 21 July at the Search and Rescue Base at Aoraki/Mount Cook.
Date: 20 August 2021 The inaugural Feral Goat Hunting Competition planned by the DOC and New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) has been cancelled.
Date: 20 August 2021 DOC is reminding people to connect with nature responsibly and close to home during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Date: 14 August 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation The discovery of rare, long-tail bats/pekapeka near Franz Josef for the first time in decades is exciting proof that the Government’s Jobs for Nature and predator free programmes are getting results, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 13 August 2021 The number of breeding pairs of New Zealand’s threatened whio (Blue Duck) has almost tripled over the last 10 years, according to a survey released today by DOC.
Date: 12 August 2021 The 2021 whitebaiting season is about to kick off in the Waikato on 15 August with new regulations in place to help ensure a healthy future for the fishery.
Date: 12 August 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Projects aimed at protecting taonga species, including kiwi, kōkako and hihi, are among a number of Taranaki-based initiatives receiving a boost through the Government’s Jobs for Nature programme, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan says.
Date: 11 August 2021 DOC and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT) are reminding people to report any cultural heritage finds to the relevant agency to help preserve them for future generations.
Date: 10 August 2021 DOC asks people to respect and keep their distance from the leopard seal that was spotted lounging on Lyall Bay beach today.
Date: 10 August 2021 Mount Taranaki’s Around the Mountain Circuit (AMC) could be closed for several months after significant damage to the track during storms in July
Date: 10 August 2021 DOC compliance team has followed up with a small number of tour operators after an annual check of Great Walks opening bookings.
Date: 06 August 2021 Source: The Office of the Minister of Conservation The 2021 whitebaiting season is about to kick off with new regulations in place to help ensure a healthy future for the fishery.
Date: 06 August 2021 Government, iwi, NGOs, rehabilitation groups, rangers and researchers will come together tomorrow to share and collaborate on their work to save nationally endangered hoiho/yellow-eyed penguins following a series of terrible breeding seasons.
Date: 05 August 2021 Source: The Office of the Minister of Conservation A major Jobs for Nature project to protect and enhance some of the South Island’s most unique habitats and restore the health of the Rangitata River highlights the important role farmers have in caring for the land, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 04 August 2021 Nelson’s pristine clear alpine Lake Rotoiti, a favourite for boating and fishing, could be impacted by 'lake snow' this summer.
Date: 03 August 2021 Source: The Office of the Minister of Conservation The Government is boosting legal protection for critically important natural habitats on private land, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan says.
Date: 02 August 2021 Work has begun on upgrading and extending the northern car park at Dolomite Point in Punakaiki.
Date: 02 August 2021 DOC is offering the opportunity for 10 postgraduate students to get $15,000 each for research into the natural and social sciences.
Date: 29 July 2021 Source: The Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Kiri Allan has announced Jobs for Nature funding for a portfolio of projects that will create ‘game changing’ gains for nature and communities across Northland/Te Tai Tokerau as part of the Government’s acceleration of the economic recovery from COVID.
Date: 29 July 2021 The Heaphy Track is reopening tomorrow (Friday 30 July) after work to clear fallen trees and repair other storm damage, but the Queen Charlotte Track remains temporarily closed.
Date: 28 July 2021 Source: The Office of the Minister of Conservation The government has confirmed that work by an expert group into the future of Milford Sound Piopiotahi will proceed to its next stage.
Date: 28 July 2021 A new scientific report commissioned by Environment Canterbury and DOC provides further support for the efforts of rūnanga, public agencies and farmers to address declining water quality in the Ashburton high-country lakes/Ō Tū Wharekai.
Date: 28 July 2021 Feral goats across a swathe of the central North Island are the target of a new hunting competition launched by DOC and New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA).
Date: 27 July 2021 There’s a big clean up in progress as Department of Conservation (DOC) rangers in Taranaki assess and repair tracks damaged in last week’s storm.
Date: 27 July 2021 A heavily used walking track in Coromandel is in the final stages of resurfacing by DOC.
Date: 24 July 2021 Amid karakia and waiata, the orca calf known as Toa was farewelled by around 70 people at Plimmerton Boating Club at dawn this morning before being taken for burial by Ngāti Toa Rangatira.
Date: 23 July 2021 Despite a massive community effort to save the orca calf known as Toa, he has tonight died in the sea pen at Plimmerton Boating Club.
Date: 23 July 2021 A reported sighting of an orca pod on the Kāpiti Coast is being investigated by air and sea, while the orca calf remains stable at the Plimmerton Boating Club.
Date: 23 July 2021 A big injection of Jobs for Nature funding will create much-needed jobs and financial security for families in TeTairāwhiti, and has exciting prospects for conservation in the region, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 23 July 2021 The orca calf at Plimmerton Boating Club is responding well to being back in the sea pen, while efforts to find the stranded calf’s pod will ramp up through a fine weather window.
Date: 22 July 2021 A decision has been made to move the orca calf being held at a temporary pool at Plimmerton Boating Club back into the sea pen.
Date: 22 July 2021 DOC rangers and visiting researchers have been crawling around a wetland on their hands and knees to discover how a rare and threatened orchid reproduces.
Date: 22 July 2021 There was no change overnight for the orca calf at Plimmerton Boating Club, with the next steps to be determined by the weather forecast.
Date: 22 July 2021 DOC and a local conservation group are urging people to keep their dogs under control after the death of a kiwi on conservation land in Taranaki.
Date: 21 July 2021 The predicted persistence of poor weather has meant that there will be no change for the orca calf being cared for at Plimmerton Boating Club and it is likely to remain in the temporary pool for at least another day.
Date: 21 July 2021 The Heaphy Track is closed and the Queen Charlotte Track is only partially open due to damage from last weekend’s heavy rain.
Date: 21 July 2021 Seven thousand native plants grown at Waikeria Prison have been donated to DOC and planted in internationally significant Whangamarino wetland in the Waikato this month.
Date: 21 July 2021 The stranded orca calf remains in a stable condition but onsite veterinarians are continuing to monitor some health concerns.
Date: 20 July 2021 Sightings of orca in the Wellington region made earlier today have been investigated, but searches by boat and air have not been able to locate a pod.
Date: 21 July 2021 Time in the outdoors increases people's likelihood of taking action for nature, according to DOC research into New Zealanders and the outdoors.
Date: 20 July 2021 With favourable weather conditions and credible sightings reported, the focus of today is the search for the juvenile orca’s pod in and around Wellington.
Date: 19 July 2021 An investigation is underway into a pod that has been sighted in the Marlborough Sounds.
Date: 19 July 2021 The latest Toyota Kiwi Guardians adventure site at Wooded Gully Campground was unveiled at a special event in North Canterbury last week.
Date: 19 July 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation The Government is throwing its support behind an ambitious project to restore native biodiversity and build long-term conservation careers, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 19 July 2021 The Porirua site where a stranded juvenile orca is being cared for in a temporary pool remains closed to the public today for safety reasons.
Date: 18 July 2021 Current weather and marine conditions are too rough to investigate yesterday’s orca pod sighting further, but will be reassessed throughout the day.
Date: 17 July 2021 A credible sighting of a pod of orca has been reported off the Kapiti Coast, near where the juvenile orca stranded last Sunday, but weather conditions in the area make it unsafe for further investigation.
Date: 16 July 2021 The Porirua site where a stranded juvenile orca is being cared for in a temporary pool remains closed to the public for safety reasons as weather conditions worsen.
Date: 16 July 2021 The Porirua site where a stranded orca calf is being cared for has been cleared and closed to the public for safety reasons and to ensure the welfare of the calf as weather conditions worsen.
Date: 15 July 2021 A portable pool will be brought on site as contingency planning continues for bad weather at the location north of Wellington where a stranded orca calf is being cared for.
Date: 15 July 2021 DOC is sad to report the death of a toroa/northern royal albatross chick at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head.
Date: 15 July 2021 Preparation for deteriorating weather and sea conditions is the focus of efforts at the site north of Wellington today (15 July), where a stranded orca calf is being kept in a temporary pen and cared for by rescuers.
Date: 14 July 2021 Efforts to reunite a stranded orca calf with its pod have continued today (14 July), with a new reported sighting of an orca pod off the coast of Taranaki.
Date: 14 July 2021 The search for a pod of orca off the Wellington coast has resumed today (14 July) as work continues to reunite a stranded orca calf with its family.
Date: 14 July 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Supporting biodiversity protection through community-led projects and on private property will create at least 500 more jobs under the Mahi mō te Taiao/Jobs for Nature programme, Minister of Conservation Kiritapu Allan announced today.
Date: 13 July 2021 The orca calf at the centre of a rescue effort in Plimmerton near Wellington remains stable tonight (Tuesday, 13 July) after specialist veterinary treatment.
Date: 13 July 2021 Efforts to save the orca calf stranded at Plimmerton are continuing today (13 July), with DOC working alongside Whale Rescue and volunteers.
Date: 12 July 2021 Efforts to save a juvenile orca stranded in Porirua near Wellington have continued today, with the animal returned to the water near where it was found.
Date: 13 July 2021 Matariki – Te Tau Hou Māori – signals the start of the Māori New Year. It is a time to gather, to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.
Date: 09 July 2021 DOC and leading civil engineering company Fulton Hogan are continuing their partnership for another five years and will progress the gains being made in returning more takahē to the wild.
Date: 08 July 2021 Counting dainty rock wrens/tuke is tricky but a new survey is revealing where this threatened alpine bird is hanging on in the South Island mountains.
Date: 07 July 2021 Century-old stone-masonry techniques have been used to complete the refurbishment of Taranaki Maunga’s Ambury Monument.
Date: 07 July 2021 The Government is providing support for a Ngati Manawa-led project to protect and enhance a popular Murupara trail.
Date: 07 July 2021 The iconic island of Kāpiti has welcomed the first translocation of threatened kōkako in nearly two decades.
Date: 02 July 2021 Source: The Office of the Acting Minister of Conservation Efforts to protect Coromandel’s majestic kauri have been given a funding boost thanks to Jobs for Nature, Acting Conservation Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall says.
Date: 01 July 2021 DOC is today launching a new campsite pass designed to support Kiwis to spend time in nature.
Date: 30 June 2021 One of Aotearoa’s most unusual native plants has a more promising future in the Waikato following a successful flowering season.
Date: 30 June 2021 Research on kea in the eastern South Island is revealing new insights into the impact of stoats and feral cats on this endangered endemic parrot.
Date: 28 June 2021 A native parrot has been shot and killed in the latest in a series of incidents in Auckland involving protected wildlife.
Date: 22 June 2021 New marine protection areas and restrictions on fishing are among a raft of changes being put in place to protect the Hauraki Gulf for future generations.
Date: 22 June 2021 Four-wheel drive (4WD) access to Careys and Boundary Huts above North Mavora Lake will now be managed due to repeated instances of damage, theft and irresponsible driving behaviour.
Date: 18 June 2021 Source: Office of the Acting Minister of Conservation New population figures for the critically endangered Antipodean albatross showing a 5 percent decline per year highlights the importance of reducing all threats to these very special birds, Acting Minister of Conservation Dr Ayesha Verrall says.
Date: 21 June 2021 A new barrier has been installed at Waikato’s Lake Ruatuna to prevent the spread of the invasive pest fish koi carp.
Date: 18 June 2021 People enjoying the country’s coastlines are being urged to admire NZ fur seals/kekeno from a safe distance, as the mammals come ashore for the winter.
Date: 18 June 2021 The rāhui laid by Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki on Motutapu Island will remain in place until further notice to aid in the capture of a stoat on the island.
Date: 17 June 2021 A large-scale planting exercise is underway around Lake Whangape, with tens of thousands of eco-sourced native plants set to go into the soil along the lake’s edges.
Date: 16 June 2021 DOC has decided to cancel a concession to graze cattle in the Haast River Valley after new information showed the cattle could not be contained in the licence area.
Date: 14 June 2021 DOC is advising people to be prepared to secure their place on a Great Walk when bookings open tomorrow, as the most popular slots are expected to be booked out within minutes.
Date: 11 June 2021 An image capturing the excitement of a mother and son, each holding a rainbow trout following a double hook-up at The Delta, a popular fishing spot on Lake Taupō, is the overall winner of this year’s DOC Taupō fishery photo competition.
Date: 11 June 2021 The Wairarapa experienced a bumper season at key outdoor sites this summer despite continued border closures, says DOC.
Date: 10 June 2021 DOC has approved a variation of an existing 2011 concession to construct a small hydro-electric power scheme at Griffin Creek on the West Coast.
Date: 10 June 2021 Aotearoa New Zealand has taken significant steps towards Predator Free 2050 in the five years since the launch of this ambitious goal, says DOC.
Date: 09 June 2021 People who live near or visit the west coast of the Auckland region are being urged to report sightings of the rare Māui dolphin.
Date: 08 June 2021 Source: The Office of the Acting Minister of Conservation A Jobs for Nature project to raise 480,000 native plants in nurseries across South Auckland will provide work for communities disproportionately affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19, Acting Conservation Minister Ayesha Verrall says.
Date: 04 June 2021 The rimu counts are in. The DOC Kākāpō Recovery team is predicting a breeding season for this iconic, flightless taonga this summer.
Date: 03 June 2021 Newly released drone photography shows the impact of possums on a section of ancient forest in northern Coromandel, and also the value of predator control and restoring forest habitat.
Date: 03 June 2021 Anyone planning to head into the Canterbury outdoors this long weekend is urged to check the Department of Conservation website before venturing out, after flood damage closed some tracks in the region.
Date: 03 June 2021 DOC and kiwi protection groups are urging dog owners to keep their animals under control after the death of a monitored kiwi in Hawke’s Bay’s Kaweka Forest Park.
Date: 02 June 2021 Source: Office of the Acting Minister of Conservation | Minita Taupua mō Te Papa Atawhai Changes to whitebaiting regulations will improve the sustainability of threatened species, while ensuring that Kiwis can continue the tradition of catching a feed in their local river into the future, Acting Conservation Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall says.
Date: 01 June 2021 The meat and liver of a great white shark have been seized by DOC following a search warrant at a residential address in Tauranga.
Date: 28 May 2021 Source: Office of the Acting Minister of Conservation The Government is accelerating the reclassification of stewardship land to ensure land with high conservation value is protected for future generations to enjoy, Acting Conservation Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today.
Date: 26 May 2021 Visitors to Te Kuiti’s Mangaokewa Reserve are being urged to report fly tipping, vandalism and suspicious behaviour as damage and dumping continue at a site sacred to local hapū.
Date: 24 May 2021 Kiwi deaths by car in the Whangarei area are on the increase with four birds killed on Ngunguru Road in the last six months.
Date: 24 May 2021 The Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust will lift the rāhui placed between Motururu Okakari Point Marine Reserve Cape Rodney to Te Ārai ō Tāhuhu Te Arai Point at 3pm today.
Date: 18 May 2021 Climate modelling shows this year’s hot March has increased the chance of beech forest seeding next summer in parts of New Zealand, which could be bad news for native wildlife.
Date: 18 May 2021 Pest free sanctuary Motutapu Island is having a tough run with four stoat invasions in one year. Evidence shows that all stoats swam from the city, adjacent to the island.
Date: 17 May 2021 Two rare seabirds have been released back into the wild after crashlanding near two inland King Country towns.
Date: 14 May 2021 Te Papa Atawhai/Department of Conservation and the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust have laid to rest a dead minke whale discovered ashore on Te Hāwere-a-maki Goat Island on Monday 10 May.
Date: 14 May 2021 An ‘honest mistake’ has led to a local Northland man receiving a $1600 fine for the removal of historic war artefacts from Ruapekapeka Pa, north of Whangarei.
Date: 14 May 2021 Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, the eight iwi of the region, have lifted the rāhui on access to the Taranaki Mounga summit.
Date: 13 May 2021 A Jobs for Nature project will see out-of-work Canterbury hiking guides employed to protect the critically endangered kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet, Acting Conservation Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall says.
Date: 13 May 2021 Source: Office of the Minister for Climate Change Progress towards the Government’s plan for a carbon neutral public sector by 2025 has accelerated thanks to funding announced today for more than 400 electric vehicles.
Date: 11 May 2021 A survey of rare plants has been completed at Waikato’s internationally significant Whangamarino Wetland, with excitement over the rediscovery of a seldom-found carnivorous species.
Date: 10 May 2021 DOC new plan to manage Himalayan tahr lays the groundwork for hunters to play a bigger part in tahr management in future years.
Date: 10 May 2021 From tomorrow, 2021/22 season bookings open for DOC huts and campsites with changes and modest price increases for some popular facilities.
Date: 07 May 2021 A group of popular Northland tracks have reopened today due to actions in place to manage the threat of feral dogs.
Date: 07 May 2021 An intensive hunt for lizards in the South Island mountains this summer has led to the discovery of what could be several new skink and gecko species.
Date: 06 May 2021 Locally-loved Sunrise Hut and Sunrise Track in the Ruahine Forest Park are open once again following renovations and improvements, says the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Date: 05 May 2021 Routes to the summit of Mt Taranaki are temporarily closed because of a rāhui, following the death of two climbers.
Date: 06 May 2021 Source: Office of the Acting Minister of Conservation Tourism businesses operating on public conservation land will have another six months of fees waived to help them adjust to the downturn in international visitors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Acting Minister of Conservation Dr Ayesha Verrall has announced.
Date: 03 May 2021 Ocean enthusiasts from New Zealand and around the world can contribute directly to scientific research by analysing underwater footage from marine reserves.
Date: 03 May 2021 Fresh from a relocation and significant refurbishment, the historic Hooker Hut is ready to welcome new guests in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
Date: 30 April 2021 Source: The Office of the Acting Minister of Conservation A suite of significant Jobs for Nature projects will boost conservation efforts and create jobs across the southern South Island, Acting Minister for Conservation Dr Ayesha Verrall announced from Te Anau today.
Date: 29 April 2021 With the changing seasons, it is important to be prepared for increased hazards and reduced facilities when hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and Tongariro Northern Circuit.
Date: 29 April 2021 DOC's annual competition to name the new Royal Cam star has been narrowed down to five finalists with voting opening today to choose the winning name.
Date: 29 April 2021 Monitoring for possums in a southern Coromandel forest has revealed the success of a recent predator control operation aimed at protecting native species.
Date: 29 April 2021 Whio numbers in the Wangapeka-Fyfe Whio Security Site in Kahurangi National Park have surpassed the targeted 50 pairs and climbed to 79 pairs after 18 years of predator control and management.
Date: 29 April 2021 The popular Hacket Track in Mount Richmond Forest Park has reopened today with a temporary track constructed around a slip that closed the track earlier this month.
Date: 27 April 2021 Source: Office of the Acting Minister of Conservation A report outlining recommendations to strengthen the governance and good management practices within NZ Fish & Game has been released by Acting Minister of Conservation Dr Ayesha Verrall.
Date: 23 April 2021 Stoats caught on camera at Mount Holdsworth in Tararua Forest highlight the ongoing need for effective predator control.
Date: 22 April 2021 A single report of a bed-bug attack has seen three huts on the Whanganui Journey Great Walk being treated as if they have an infestation.
Date: 22 April 2021 North Island kōkako, bats, kākā, tūi and robin are set for a bumper year thanks to the success of a planned 1080 operation in the Rotoehu Forest area.
Date: 22 April 2021 The Heaphy Track is seeing growing popularity and with its mountain biking season getting underway on 1 May, DOC is reminding people that for a safe and enjoyable trip they should plan ahead and be well prepared.
Date: 21 April 2021 New Zealanders took to the outdoors in large numbers during peak summer, according to new data released by DOC.
Date: 20 April 2021 The annual Pureora Hunting Competition culminated with the event’s prizegiving, a bull roaring competition and stories of the ones that got away.
Date: 20 April 2021 DOC says public consultation on a marine sanctuary proposal for Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) opens today (20 April) for a 28-day period.
Date: 19 April 2021 More seals/kekeno are currently turning up on Whanganui beaches and DOC is asking people to give them space and leave them be.
Date: 16 April 2021 A programme to connect young people with nature aims to build skills and confidence, as well as increase their understanding of, and passion for, the natural environment.
Date: 15 April 2021 The southern section of the Hakarimata Walkway, one of Waikato’s popular tracks in the Hakarimata Ranges, is set to reopen to the public on Saturday 17 April following major track restoration work over the past 10 weeks.
Date: 15 April 2021 A group of rare Mahoenui giant wētā has a new home after a successful translocation to the Ōtorohanga Kiwi House this week.
Date: 14 April 2021 Children connecting with nature at 18 Wild Dunedin NZ Festival of Nature events will be able to redeem an exclusive medal, thanks to the support of Toyota Kiwi Guardians.
Date: 14 April 2021 The popular Hacket Track in Mount Richmond Forest Park has been temporarily closed due to a landslip making the track impassable.
Date: 13 April 2021 Finding a dead rat outside their classroom was a highlight of week nine for trainees in the Bay Conservation Alliance's Tauira Mahi programme, but it wasn’t a surprise.
Date: 08 April 2021 The 2021 kōkako nesting season has come to an end and there are high hopes for another 20 or more fledglings in Pirongia Forest Park.
Date: 08 April 2021 DOC will keep a number of tracks and Twilight Campsite closed for a further two weeks in the Far North due to reports of roaming feral dogs
Date: 08 April 2021 DOC has decided that media should have the same access to conservation land that the public enjoy, and media will no longer need to apply for a media permit.
Date: 06 April 2021 There are two new infected sites – one near the Tramline Track above Kaitoke swamp and another remote site in the Awana catchment.
Date: 01 April 2021 The campsite at Awaroa/Godley Head has temporarily been closed to the public after preliminary test results revealed asbestos at levels above health guidelines in some areas of the site.
Date: 01 April 2021 People enjoying Tauranga and Mt Maunganui’s coast and water this Easter are urged to be aware of the presence of great white sharks.
Date: 01 April 2021 DOC has closed a number of tracks and Twilight Campsite in the Far North due to reports of roaming feral dogs.
Date: 31 March 2021 The Whangamumu, Kauri Grove and Te Toroa Tracks on Cape Brett Peninsula in Pewhairangi/Bay of Islands will be temporarily closed from Friday 2 April to protect kauri from the threat of kauri dieback disease.
Date: 29 March 2021 A 30-year veteran of New Zealand’s hunting scene will oversee judging in the annual Pureora Forest Park Hunting Competition this year.
Date: 26 March 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Recovery efforts over more than two decades have seen the North Island kōkako, one of Aotearoa’s most iconic birds, brought back from the brink of extinction, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 26 March 2021 New management techniques for Aotearoa’s rarest endemic bird, the tara iti / New Zealand fairy tern offers a hope for the future of the species, with a chick hatched and reared at Auckland Zoo and transferred to an offsite aviary before being released into the wild.
Date: 24 March 2021 DOC is urging deer hunters to take care during the peak of the roar this Easter weekend, as data shows a spike in hunting activity leads to an increase in injuries.
Date: 23 March 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Kiri Allan is welcoming a new initiative encouraging philanthropic contributions to save our national icon, the kiwi.
Date: 23 March 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation The release of 17 hand-reared whio/blue duck into Arthur’s Pass National Park later this week is a significant first and one of a number of whio releases planned across Aotearoa over the coming months, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 18 March 2021 The takahē population in Kahurangi National Park has been boosted with 15 takahē released in the park’s Gouland Downs area.
Date: 16 March 2021 More than 200 homes are required to meet this year’s desired muster target. With progress to date, the rehoming groups are hopeful that all places for horses required will be filled.
Date: 17 March 2021 Upgrades made to Kahunui Hut, a half-century-old historic gem on the East Coast, will help preserve some of the area's heritage.
Date: 16 March 2021 The newest trampers hut in Waikato’s Pirongia Forest Park is now bookable online.
Date: 26 February 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation New funding announced by Conservation Minister Kiri Allan today will provide work and help protect the unique values of Northland’s Te Ārai Nature Reserve for future generations.
Date: 11 March 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation An ambitious project to restore nature and sustain jobs in COVID-hit South Westland represents the biggest step yet on mainland Aotearoa towards the Predator Free 2050 goal, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 11 March 2021 America’s Cup spectators and island getaway seekers visiting the Hauraki Gulf’s popular Motuihe Island are being urged to abide by “island etiquette” to protect threatened species and ensure the island’s biosecurity.
Date: 11 March 2021 Boaties enjoying the ocean off the Waikato’s west coast are being urged to report sightings of the Māui dolphin, as a survey to determine the population of the rare mammals continues.
Date: 11 March 2021 Celebrate our connection to the sea this Seaweek by joining a community snorkel day at Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reserve this Saturday.
Date: 10 March 2021 As the breeding season for the Northern NZ dotterel/tūturiwhatu comes to a close on the Coromandel, DOC is expecting a positive productivity rate for the small and endangered shorebirds.
Date: 10 March 2021 Despite best efforts, three male sperm whales, ranging in length from 14 m to 17 m have died after being reported to DOC earlier this week.
Date: 09 March 2021 The moult season (February to April) is a crucial and stressful time for New Zealand’s cherished penguins, but our actions can make all the difference, says DOC.
Date: 03 March 2021 Stoats are being studied by Lincoln University students.
Date: 04 March 2021 The Milford Track’s resident pāteke/brown teal have been given another boost, bringing New Zealand one step closer to a new self-sustaining pāteke population.
Date: 04 March 2021 When fire tore through the Pukaki Scientific Reserve in the Mackenzie district, it was feared the critically endangered Izatha psychra moth was gone forever.
Date: 04 March 2021 Development of the Taranaki Crossing has entered a new phase, with work beginning on construction of new boardwalks across the Pouakai Tarns and the Ahukawakawa wetland.
Date: 03 March 2021 Ten critically threatened tūturuatu/shore plover have been evacuated from Motutapu Island and relocated to captive facilities while DOC hunts a stoat.
Date: 03 March 2021 A new study has found critically endangered Whenua Hou diving petrels, may need greater protection from lights on vessels in seas.
Date: 02 March 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Some of the country's most forward-thinking early-career conservationists are among recipients of a new scholarship aimed at supporting a new generation of biodiversity champions, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 25 February 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Conservation Minister Kiri Allan is encouraging New Zealanders to have their say on a proposed marine mammal sanctuary to address the rapid decline of bottlenose dolphins in Te Pēwhairangi, the Bay of Islands.
Date: 02 March 2021 From 2 March DOC is partnering with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) to provide an upgraded weather forecasting service using the latest technologies.
Date: 01 March 2021 A professional conservation couple will give a public lecture in New Plymouth on their 30 years of experience observing albatross as part of Seaweek 2021.
Date: 23 February 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Three new Jobs for Nature projects will help nature thrive in the Bay of Plenty and keep local people in work says Conservation Minister Kiri Allan.
Date: 24 February 2021 DOC and Auckland Council are urging the public to report sightings of dogs on Hauraki Gulf’s pest-free islands after a recent spike of potentially illegal incidents.
Date: 24 February 2021 DOC is set to re-open a popular South Auckland walking track, Mount William Walkway.
Date: 18 February 2021 A new hut, built on the Mataketake Range near Haast in South Westland honours the late Dr Andrew (Andy) Dennis, a well-known conservationist, tramper and writer who left a bequest for the hut to be constructed.
Date: 18 February 2021 The travels of the only Antipodean albatross/toroa/hopo chick from the Chatham Islands in seven years are being tracked by a satellite transmitter.
Date: 17 February 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation DOC's new Heritage and Visitor Strategy is fully focused on protecting and enhancing the value of New Zealand’s natural, cultural and historic heritage, while also promoting a sustainable environmental experience, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 17 February 2021 Thousands of dollars of fines have been handed out by New Zealand courts following successful prosecutions of the owners of dogs that killed native wildlife.
Date: 16 February 2021 A trial underway on the edge of the North Island’s Pureora Forest is exploring how New Zealand’s native bats/pekapeka respond to different types of artificial light.
Date: 16 February 2021 DOC is investigating after a 120-metre long fishing net was found in Motu Manawa-Pollen Island Marine Reserve on 2 February by a DOC ranger.
Date: 12 February 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Jobs for Nature funding will provide much-needed work for Northland locals, and contribute to the ongoing restoration of the Waipoua River awa, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 12 February 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A historic collaboration between iwi groups in Northland to tackle Kauri dieback is being funded through the Government’s Jobs for Nature programme, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 14 February 2021 Mohua/yellowhead and other native forest bird numbers continue to grow more than two decades after predator control began in the remote Landsborough valley in South Westland.
Date: 11 February 2021 One of Mount Aspiring National Park’s most popular day walks – the Rob Roy Track, has officially reopened, DOC announced today.
Date: 11 February 2021 Work to find out more about South Westland lizard species has been given a helping hand through Jobs for Nature.
Date: 09 February 2021 The annual Pureora Forest Park Hunting Competition will return for 2021.
Date: 05 February 2021 The Eastern Okataina Walkway has been closed indefinitely due to a large slip and the risk of ongoing rockfall which presents a significant safety risk to track users.
Date: 05 February 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation A Waitomo-based Jobs for Nature project will keep up to ten people employed in the village as the tourism sector recovers post Covid-19 Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 05 February 2021 Recent successes and a setback for the critically endangered kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet highlight the highs and lows for conservationists working to save this taonga species.
Date: 03 February 2021 DOC is reminding people to tread lightly and follow the rules at their favourite camping spots this Waitangi weekend.
Date: 03 February 2021 Protecting Hauraki Gulf's 47 pest-free islands will be tackled by conservation dogs from DOC and Auckland Council with the support of Kiwibank during the America’s Cup.
Date: 02 February 2021 Two tracks in Waikato’s popular Hakarimata Ranges are in line for upgrades starting in February.
Date: 01 February 2021 Department of Conservation, Director General, Lou Sanson says New Zealand has lost a great advocate for native wildlife with the death of artist Bill Hammond.
Date: 02 February 2021 DOC is asking pet owners to ensure their animals are under control and kept out of prohibited areas following the recent death of a rare tawaki or Fiordland crested penguin, thought to have been killed by a dog at a Haast wildlife refuge.
Date: 29 January 2021 DOC's shark specialist reminds people travelling to the beach for the long weekend to be aware of those marine animals seen around our coastlines this summer.
Date: 28 January 2021 A surge in boat sales has DOC Taranaki Marine Rangers gearing up for a busy summer on and off the coastlines.
Date: 27 January 2021 After an extensive restoration, one of the oldest buildings at Christchurch’s Awaroa/Godley Head offers overnight guests affordable accommodation with an unrivalled view.
Date: 27 January 2021 As Chinese New Year draws nearer, people are being asked to double-check import rules for items such as traditional herbal medicines coming to New Zealand from overseas.
Date: 26 January 2021 DOC is expanding the number of sites where it displays COVID-19 QR codes to enable better contact tracing.
Date: 26 January 2021 Visitors to Te Toto Gorge, a picturesque, and culturally significant site, just south of Raglan, are being urged to report people rubbish dumping.
Date: 26 January 2021 The newest addition to the toroa/northern royal albatross colony at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head is ready for the Royal Cam spotlight.
Date: 26 January 2021 DOC is urging boaties to give animals plenty of space and always ‘watch where you are going’.
Date: 21 January 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Upscaling work already underway to restore two iconic ecosystems will deliver jobs and a lasting legacy, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.
Date: 20 January 2021 The fresh faces of conservation in Hauraki District are in “boots and all” to a busy summer.
Date: 19 January 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Biosecurity A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the area’s unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says.
Date: 19 January 2021 DOC, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki kaitiaki and Kiwis for kiwi are working together to catch a stoat on pest-free Motutapu Island.
Date: 19 January 2021 Diverse native wildlife on Mount Pirongia can flourish this summer, thanks to a successful pest control operation, says DOC.
Date: 14 January 2021 Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced.
Date: 11 January 2021 The Volcanic Alert Level (VAL) for Mount Ruapehu has been lowered from level 2 to level 1 today.