Summary
Although this report discusses the history of threatened fauna in the Nelson Lakes area, a few species have such a limited amount of information on record that they will only be mentioned briefly. For example, little information exists for the kakapo (Strigops habroptilus). This species was clearly abundant around Murchison in the 1800s when Mary Thornton, in the 1890s, set traps for kakapo in the Matakitaki - she described "the kokapaw (kakapo)" as "good eating … all feathers really … you need at least a couple each for a good feed" (Wills 2007). Mary Thornton went on to comment that "the kakapo seemed to vanish about the beginning of World War I [1915]" (Wills 2007). Very little information exists on the South Island thrush (Turnagra crassirostris) which was possibly last seen by Noall Berryman in 1946 in the vicinity of Mt Newton who commented that "one day while hunting small clearings I was fairly certain I saw the then rare native thrush, a bird I had never seen before or since" (pg 6, Berryman 2004). A single record for marsh crake (Porzana pusilla) exists in the area, from a wetland up the Owen Valley in 2002 (Seelye pers com).
Although yellow-crowned parakeets and New Zealand pigeon are not classed as threatened species (Miskelly et al. 2008), they have been included in this study because (i) they remain in low numbers in the area and (ii) they may ultimately benefit from management for other threatened species in the area. Short-tailed bats (Mystacina sp.) were not included in this report because few records exist for this species in the area whereas long-tailed bats are covered in detail.
Many of the historical references in this report are from Butler’s 1991 report which described the distribution of birds in Nelson Lakes National Park (as opposed to the entire Nelson Lakes area), based on surveys under-taken between 1978 and 1985. This report treats any species records post the survey in Butler’s 1991 report as ‘recent’ records i.e. species records from 1985 to 2009 are regarded as ‘recent’. Records earlier than 1985 are treated as ‘historical’.
- The main objective of this report is to summarise historical and recent knowledge regarding distribution of threatened birds and bats in the Department of Conservation’s Nelson Lakes area, including population trends where possible - with particular reference to Butler’s 1991 report.
- The second objective is strategic - to lead into the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project (RNRP), species and/or ecosystem protection projects, the Area Biodiversity Action Plan and to provide recommendations to facilitate future management and/or research initiatives.
The national status of threatened birds and bats within this report was stated using the New Zealand Threat Classification System Ranking (Hitchmough et al 2007; Miskelly et al 2008). The four main parameters used to assign threat ranking were: total population size; population trend; geographical range; and whether the taxon has been directly or indirectly affected by humans (Miskelly et al 2008).
The population status of threatened species within Nelson Lakes area was categorised as: Extinct; Critically Rare; Rare; and Localised. This report only covers species that are of conservation concern, so there is no need for categories such as "abundant" or "common". These categories are intended to indicate the size, distribution pattern, and "robustness" of each population in Nelson Lakes area. The categories should definitely not be regarded as action priority or local threat categories, as they are based on distribution and abundance only, and do not take into account other ecological parameters. Readers should note that the third category ("Rare") is a very broad band. We do not have enough information about some of the populations to effectively subdivide this category.
- Extinct in Nelson Lakes area – Species that have not been reported (either confirmed or unconfirmed) since 1985, and which in Butler’s report are listed as "very rare/extinct in area".
- Critically Rare in Nelson Lakes area – Only a few isolated individuals or breeding pairs of the species remains in the area.
- Rare in Nelson Lakes area – Cryptic species that are known to be present but which are only recorded in low numbers; and conspicuous species that are regularly encountered but only in low numbers.
- Localised in Nelson Lakes area - species that are present in reasonable densities at a few locations, but are generally absent or rare across most of the area.
For the purposes of this report, Nelson Lakes area has been sub-divided into three geographical zones: North-eastern zone, Murchison zone and Southern Mountains zone (Fig 1). The zones have been chosen to help describe species distribution in Nelson Lakes area, and are not intended to signify ecological units.
The boundary between the North-eastern and Murchison zones is the Hope-Lookout Range and the Braeburn Range. These zones adjoin the Southern Mountains zone at a boundary that tends east-north-east over the Maruia Saddle to the mid-Matakitaki Valley and Mole Tops, to the head of Lake Rotoroa and Mt Angelus, then to the crest of the Raglan Range overlooking Dip Flat.
The Murchison zone has been split further into North Murchison and South Murchison, with the Buller River being the divide between the two areas.
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