A survey conducted by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) has found that the population of whio, also known as blue duck, is thriving in the mountainous rivers and streams inland of Hawke’s Bay on the North Island. This rare bird is found only in New Zealand, and is at high risk of attack from stoats and rats where they nest along fast-flowing riverbanks.
The survey was conducted in January 2014, and found a total of 18 breeding pairs along 33km of waterway bordering 6,120 hectares of the Forest Lifeforce Restoration Trust’s Maungataniwha Native Forest, compared to 10 pairs along 41km of river during a 2011 survey.
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