Threatened species in Kapiti Marine Reserve

Introduction

Which threatened species are present in Kapiti Marine Reserve?

Marine mammals

Humpback whales pass by Kapiti Island on an annual migration from Antarctica to their breeding grounds in tropical waters. They are sometimes spotted in the marine reserve in winter. Killer whales/orca are also regular visitors.

New Zealand fur seals/kekeno haul out at Arapawaiti Point (at the northern end of the island) in winter. Common dolphins are regular visitors to the marine reserve. Although not threatened, these species are fully protected.

Species and classification

The table below lists the threatened and at-risk species that feed in the marine reserve or pass through it regularly. The species are classified using the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

Threatened and at risk species in the marine reserve
 Common and Māori nameSpeciesThreat status
Marine mammals   
 Killer whale/orca, kera wēraOrcinus orcaNationally Critical
Seabirds   
 Sooty shearwater, tītīPuffinus griseusAt Risk Declining
 Fluttering shearwater, pakahāPuffinus gaviaAt Risk Relict
 Black-billed gull, tarāpungaLarus bulleriNationally Critical
 Red-billed gull, tarāpungaLarus novaehollandiaeAt Risk Declining
 Northern blue penguin, kororāEudyptula minor iredaleiAt Risk Declining
 Reef heron, matuku moanaEgretta sacraNationally Endangered
 Banded dotterel, piopioCharadrius bicinctusNationally Vulnerable
 White-fronted tern, taraSterna striataAt Risk Declining
 Black-fronted tern, tara piroeChlidonias albostriatusNationally Endangered
 Caspian tern, taranui Hydroprogne caspiaNationally Vulnerable
 Pied shag, karuhiruhiPhalacrocorax variusAt Risk Recovering
 Variable oystercatcher, tōrea pangoHaematopus unicolorAt Risk Recovering
Estuary birds   
 Bar-tailed godwit, karoroLimosa lapponicaAt Risk Declining
 South Island pied oystercatcher, tōrea pangoHaematopus finschiAt Risk Declining
 White heronArdea modestaNationally Critical
 Wrybill, ngutu pareAnarhynchus frontalisNationally Vulnerable
Freshwater fish   
 Giant kōkopuGalaxias argenteusDeclining
 InangaGalaxias maculatusDeclining
 KōaroGalaxias brevipinnisDeclining
 Lamprey, piharauGeotria australisThreatened
 Longfin eel, tunaAnguilla dieffenbachiiAt Risk Declining
 Shortjaw kōkopuGalaxias postvectisThreatened

Reports