2022 media releases

Date: 29 December 2022
A rāhui has been placed over the Cape Rodney-Okakari Point (Goat Island) Marine Reserve following a death of a man on Wednesday morning.

Date: 23 December 2022
Holiday makers and residents in the seaside Coromandel settlement of Opoutere are being urged to stay out of a coastal reserve where hundreds of deteriorating pine trees present a safety risk.

Date: 22 December 2022
The toilet and changing block servicing Te Hāwere-a-Maki / Goat Island and the surrounding marine reserve has been given a new lease of life with bright murals of taonga species painted on its sides.

Date: 21 December 2022
Misbehaviour in marine reserves, breaches of the National Parks Act and people failing to abide by the Taupō Trout Fishery rules feature prominently among conservation offences.

Date: 21 December 2022
Wetlands have been torn up and new hill-climbs and off-road tracks illegally created by negligent 4WD and off-road motorbike users at historic Macetown.

Date: 20 December 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
DOC expects a busy season this summer with the return of overseas visitors and high numbers of New Zealanders taking time out in nature.

Date: 20 December 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
A new global deal commits to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

Date: 20 December 2022
Work to stamp out predator incursions on Te Kākahu-O-Tamatea/Chalky Island and Mauīkatau/Resolution Island is top priority this summer.

Date: 20 December 2022
People heading into the outdoors during the holiday season are reminded to be fire safe to protect native species and cultural heritage sites from devastating wildfires.

Date: 19 December 2022
People visiting the Hauraki Gulf's 47 pest-free islands can help protect breeding and nesting birds by leaving their dogs at home.

Date: 19 December 2022
Meridian Energy and DOC are pleased to announce that their partnership will continue for another three years, with Meridian as the National Partner of Kākāpō Recovery Programme.

Date: 14 December 2022
The weather has interrupted the breeding season of the tara iti/NZ fairy tern with all eggs moved to incubation facilities at Auckland Zoo.

Date: 14 December 2022
DOC is reminding people with dogs to do their research before setting out this holiday season.

Date: 13 December 2022
A fund to permanently protect areas containing some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most threatened ecosystems opened for applications today.

Date: 12 December 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Conservation Minister Poto Williams will lead Aotearoa New Zealand’s delegation to COP15, the Fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal this week.

Date: 12 December 2022
Two people have been caught poaching within the Te Tapuwae O Rongokako Marine Reserve.

Date: 12 December 2022
Field trials to test the use of a bird repellent to reduce risk to kea in predator control operations have been completed near Arthur’s Pass this spring.

Date: 09 December 2022
A stunning new Glacier Country visitor attraction will be unveiled at a ceremony near Fox Glacier/Wekeka township this morning.

Date: 08 December 2022
An influx of dead and dying kororā or little blue penguins reported on Eastern Bay of Plenty beaches is likely to continue during summer.

Date: 06 December 2022
A 100 m long suspension bridge across the Manganui Gorge will become one of the impressive new features of the Taranaki Crossing.

Date: 06 December 2022
Six carved items made from a rhinoceros horn have been seized in a joint operation involving staff from DOC, New Zealand Customs Service and New Zealand Police.

Date: 29 November 2022
Former Golden Bay DOC Ranger Simon Walls has been presented with one of New Zealand’s most prestigious conservation awards, the Loder Cup.

Date: 29 November 2022
Leigh’s Omaha Cove walkway will remain closed after it was damaged by a significant landslide earlier this month.

Date: 28 November 2022
The New Zealand Journal of Ecology has published a special issue about ridding Auckland Island of mammalian pests.

Date: 17 November 2022
A deceased beaked whale was discovered earlier today on Westshore Beach, Napier.

Date: 17 November 2022
DOC is urging dog owners to control their dogs after five little blue penguins/kororā have been attacked and killed since June in the Nelson/Tasman area.

Date: 17 November 2022
Landowners with properties adjacent to Pirongia Forest Park are being urged to contribute to a renewed effort to control feral goats.

Date: 16 November 2022
One of New Zealand’s rarest birds, the tara-iti/New Zealand fairy tern, has been boosted by a chick successfully hatching at Papakānui, North of Auckland on 13 November.

Date: 14 November 2022
Four toroa/northern royal albatross eggs are missing from the colony at Taiaroa Head/Pukekura, near Dunedin.

Date: 14 November 2022
A delegation on a learning exchange visited Auckland and Hauraki Gulf island last week to learn about biosecurity.

Date: 12 November 2022
A new report has been published on the state of Aotearoa New Zealand's wetland conservation.

Date: 11 November 2022
Twenty-seven DOC staff have been recognised for their efforts fighting the devastating Australian wildfires in the 2019/2020 summer.

Date: 10 November 2022
Rowi, one of our rarest kiwi species, are under threat from pigs illegally released in Westland Tai Poutini National Park.

Date: 09 November 2022
A fund for community-led efforts to protect threatened species and at-risk cultural heritage has opened for applications today.

Date: 08 November 2022
The native long-tailed bat/pekapeka attacked by a pet cat and rehabilitated by Hamilton Zoo has been successfully released back into the wild.

Date: 08 November 2022
DOC is introducing a 'pack in, pack out' waste management policy for its campgrounds in the wider Whangarei area.

Date: 03 November 2022
A kekeno/seal pup on Paekakariki Beach has been euthanised by DOC staff after sustaining severe injuries from a dog attack early yesterday morning.

Date: 03 November 2022
DOC has decided to close the Graces Stream Campsite in the Remutaka Forest Park, Wellington to protect visitors from dangerous trees.

Date: 03 November 2022
Over 1300 people from around the world have applied to be the new Biodiversity Supervisor in Haast.

Date: 21 October 2022
Pōrangahau hapū Ngāti Kere has placed a rāhui over the area from Shelly Bay in the north down to Te Pariomahi/Blackhead Beach past the southern end of Te Angiangi Marine Reserve, following the death of a diver on Tuesday evening.

Date: 21 October 2022
DOC is asking whitebaiters for feedback on their fishing experience as the season draws to a close.

Date: 21 October 2022
The Department of Conservation will no longer be entering into an arrangement with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga to lease the Hokitika Government Building.

Date: 21 October 2022
New research has found a change in Hector’s dolphins' summer distribution in Akaroa Harbour, with fewer sightings in the inner harbour coinciding with an increase in cruise ship visits.

Date: 19 October 2022
A rare visitor to our shores, a subantarctic fur seal, that turned up at Ruby Bay in Tasman in a skinny state, is being cared for by vet Mana Stratton to regain weight before being released back to sea.

Date: 13 October 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Community and iwi-led projects funded by the Department of Conservation’s Jobs For Nature programme have supercharged conservation efforts across the country.

Date: 14 October 2022
DOC has confirmed two sightings of the rare Hector’s dolphin in the Mangonui harbour last weekend and is asking locals and visitors to be on the lookout for the rare dolphin and report sightings to DOC.

Date: 13 October 2022
Erosion has forced the closure of a second track in DOC’s Maniapoto district, with a landslip on the Arataki Track.

Date: 12 October 2022
DOC has responded to two mass strandings of pilot whales on the Chatham Islands in the last week and can report that the operations have now concluded.

Date: 11 October 2022
DOC Director General Penny Nelson today released the findings of two independent reviews commissioned to examine DOC’s health and safety culture following the tragic fatal helicopter accident in 2018.

Date: 11 October 2022
Although the COVID-19 pandemic kept many of us in our homes for extended periods, New Zealanders still spent time in nature, according to DOC's latest visitor insights report.

Date: 10 October 2022
The picturesque Mangapohue Natural Bridge Walk has been closed due to weather-related erosion.

Date: 07 October 2022
DOC has hired a contractor to conduct a harvest operation of radiata pine in Wellington’s Catchpool Valley beginning today, Friday 7 October.

Date: 07 October 2022
New research has expanded our understanding of which migratory bird species are most threatened by light pollution at sea.

Date: 06 October 2022
The toroa/northern royal albatross chick featured on this season’s Royal Cam livestream has been named Lilibet to acknowledge the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Date: 05 October 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The project is entering its next phase following a productive visit to Piopiotahi to hear directly from tourism operators, iwi and the unit undertaking feasibility planning.

Date: 05 October 2022
Carpenters from Fox River, Pahuatane and Barrytown are among those hard at work on the site of the new Experience Centre at Dolomite Point, Punakaiki.

Date: 29 September 2022
Graduates from the Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Jobs for Nature Marine Kaitiaki Course have all secured post training work or will continue training in the marine conservation field.

Date: 28 September 2022
The first Haast tokoeka chick of the 2022-23 season has hatched with Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio naming it Inanga.

Date: 22 September 2022
Research released today identifies two types of visitors when it comes to connecting with nature on the Queen Charlotte Track: ‘spectators of nature’ and ‘participants in nature’.

Date: 21 September 2022
Source: DOC and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)
For the first time, satellites have been used to track coastal water health around Aotearoa New Zealand

Date: 21 September 2022
Beachgoers ignoring clear signage and traipsing through a key nesting site in the Coromandel are putting vulnerable dotterels/tuturiwhatu and variable oystercatchers/torea-pango at risk.

Date: 21 September 2022
DOC is currently carrying out predator incursion responses after stoat footprints were found on previously predator-free Te Kākahu-O-Tamatea/Chalky Island, and rats were caught in traps on Mauīkatau/Resolution Island.

Date: 20 September 2022
Three impressive pou whenua unveiled at spectacular Kura Tawhiti/Castle Hill today will stand as kaitiaki over the popular site and mark the area’s cultural significance to mana whenua.

Date: 16 September 2022
A new DOC report predicts that climate change could have a major impact on some of New Zealand’s marine mammals.

Date: 07 September 2022
Source: Te Atiawa
Realising the vision of the Taranaki Crossing project took another step forward this week with the start of on-site works for the North Egmont Visitor Centre within the National Park.

Date: 08 September 2022
A leopard seal sighted today at Petone Beach in Lower Hutt is in excellent health and likely just taking a breather in the spring sun, says a DOC ranger.

Date: 08 September 2022
Public hearings about proposed changes to stewardship land classification on the West Coast will be held next week in person and online.

Date: 06 September 2022
People in Northland and Auckland are being urged to report sightings of Hector’s dolphins after a solitary Hector’s dolphin was spotted north of its usual range.

Date: 06 September 2022
Residents who live on the Coromandel coastline year-round are being urged to add their eyes and ears to protection efforts for the area’s vulnerable tūturiwhatu/dotterel population.

Date: 05 September 2022
King Country residents can get actively involved in Conservation Week this year by taking part in seven informative workshops being delivered in Waitomo.

Date: 05 September 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
A new monitoring programme for marine reserves, coupled with a network of marine reserve rangers, will boost protection for the country’s special marine areas, Conservation Minister Poto Williams says.

Date: 02 September 2022
DOC offices across the West Coast are getting together with their communities to take action for nature during Conservation Week this 5-11 September.

Date: 02 September 2022
The Hooker Valley Track in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park reopened on September 1 after a geotechnical assessment found the second swing bridge was stable.

Date: 29 August 2022
DOC Reefton staff have a brand-new field base office.

Date: 26 August 2022
The Paparoa Track came through last week’s rainstorms relatively unscathed but the access road on the Blackball side is damaged.

Date: 25 August 2022
Those spotting native royal spoonbills at Waihi wetlands in the South of Lake Taupō should have their puns, and cameras, at the ready.

Date: 24 August 2022
Next week, for the first time, the whitebaiting season will start on 1 September for all New Zealand except the Chatham Islands.

Date: 24 August 2022
More than 6,600 people and organisations have made submissions on how they would like to see stewardship land reclassified on the West Cost of the South Island.

Date: 24 August 2022
Sections of the Abel Tasman Coast Track and Queen Charlotte Track remain open but others are temporarily closed after last week’s heavy rain caused multiple slips and other damage.

Date: 24 August 2022
The Hooker Valley Track in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park closed at the first swing bridge from Wednesday 24 August due to recent erosion threatening the integrity of a structure.

Date: 22 August 2022
DOC recently re-opened Boundary Hut at Mavora Lakes, Southland following a joint restoration project with Dulux that means it can be enjoyed well into the future.

Date: 17 August 2022
Children from four schools braved tricky conditions while contributing to wetland conservation during a mass planting exercise in South Waikato this month.

Date: 12 August 2022
Seven common dolphins from a pod of 10 stranded at Waiheke Island’s Whakanewha Bay have been refloated late this afternoon and were seen heading out to sea, DOC says.

Date: 12 August 2022
Source: Department of Conservation, Game Animal Council and Fiordland Wapiti Foundation
A jointly-developed management project has successfully removed 432 female deer from Fiordland National Park.

Date: 11 August 2022
A successful transfer of nine takahē was completed last week, moving the endangered birds from Mana Island to the Burwood Takahē Centre and Wairakei Sanctuary.

Date: 10 August 2022
DOC has reiterated its plea to the community to come forward with information on the killing of 19 fur seals in Kaikōura last year, as investigators continue efforts to find those responsible.

Date: 10 August 2022
New research by DOC staff confirms what has long been suspected – feral and domestic cats are repeatedly hunting and eating New Zealand’s native bats/pekapeka.

Date: 09 August 2022
Starting this year, the whitebait season will take place from 1 September to 30 October throughout New Zealand in an important step towards a sustainable whitebait fishery.

Date: 09 August 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Kākāpō numbers have increased from 197 to 252 in the 2022 breeding season, and there are now more of the endangered parrots than there have been for almost 50 years.

Date: 06 August 2022
Due to a recent death, a rāhui has been placed on Mt Ngāuruhoe from Saturday 6 August to sunrise on Tuesday 9 August 2022.

Date: 08 August 2022
DOC is keen to hear from Lower Clutha whitebaiters this season as part of a project to preserve the long-term health of the whitebait fishery.

Date: 04 August 2022
DOC is asking for the public’s help after a juvenile leopard seal was shot and killed on Saturday 23 July at the river mouth of the Oreti River near Sandy Point in Southland.

Date: 03 August 2022
DOC is reassuring Waiheke Island residents that upcoming improvement work on a busy wharf will not impact on native kororā/little penguin.

Date: 03 August 2022
Visitors to Mount Taranaki are being urged to obey the rules and leave their family pets at home, after DOC staff observed jacket-wearing domestic cats being taken into Egmont National Park.

Date: 02 August 2022
Source: Ministry of Primary Industries
Fisheries New Zealand and DOC are seeking public feedback on a new plan of action for the conservation of sharks.

Date: 30 July 2022
Motueka DOC ranger Stew Robertson will travel to Indonesia to study local communities’ involvement in marine protected areas as the 2022 winner of DOC’s Stephen O’Dea Development Award.

Date: 29 July 2022
The public is asked to steer clear of the humpback whale carcass which has washed up on a Omimi beach, near Warrington, north of Dunedin.

Date: 28 July 2022
Stays at Marlborough’s popular Marfells Beach Campsite from December to the end of April should now be booked online on the DOC booking system.

Date: 26 July 2022
The latest whio count shows climate change is affecting the iconic rapid-riding blue ducks’ habitat but the hard work of humans is helping build their resilience.

Date: 25 July 2022
DOC has announced the period for making submissions on proposed classifications for stewardship land on the West Coast has been extended by 20 working days to 23 August 2022.

Date: 19 July 2022
DOC is asking people to stay clear of seemingly sparse areas of gravel in braided riverbeds this spring and summer, to avoid crushing the camouflaged eggs and chicks of native nesting birds.

Date: 08 July 2022
DOC has confirmed dates for Conservation Week 2022 as Monday 5 to Sunday 11 September.

Date: 07 July 2022
A public submissions process has opened for proposed classification and vesting in Waikato-Tainui of a historically significant 40ha area of land in Mercer.

Date: 06 July 2022
Residents around the Hauraki Gulf and Coromandel are being urged to report sightings of kekeno/NZ fur seals over the next three months, as part of a new research project on the species.

Date: 06 July 2022
It’s a tale of two halves for rock wren/tuke with their fortunes hanging on effective predator control, the latest South Island-wide survey shows.

Date: 05 July 2022
A review of the conservation management plan for Rangitahi/Molesworth Recreation Reserve is taking place to look afresh at how this spectacular high county reserve is managed.

Date: 04 July 2022
Two travellers returning to New Zealand from tropical getaways have been fined for failing to declare protected corals and shells they brought back into the country.

Date: 01 July 2022
A striped dolphin reported washed up on South Auckland’s Kariotahi Beach on Wednesday evening had been beheaded by Thursday morning.

Date: 01 July 2022
Ongoing anti-social behaviour at Hawke’s Bay’s Mangatutu Hot Springs Campsite could force DOC to close the popular site.

Date: 01 July 2022
The New Zealand Conservation Authority has approved a partial review of the Otago Conservation Management Strategy, meaning DOC can now consider more locations on public conservation land for bicycle trail proposals.

Date: 28 June 2022
Dozens of wooden shipping pallets re-purposed for pest control by people serving community work sentences are now in action at a Waikato peat lake.

Date: 15 June 2022
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 winter.

Date: 14 June 2022
An Auckland man who illegally landed on a pest-free conservation island has been slapped with an $800 fine.

Date: 13 June 2022
A long-term vision to restore Carnival Park Scenic Reserve in Pahiatua to its previous glory kicks off with a community open day on 16 June.

Date: 10 June 2022
Recreational driving off-road is damaging the pumice embankment at Whakaipo Bay, creating quagmires of mud, and destroying the peace enjoyed by campers and visitors.

Date: 02 June 2022
Rotorua residents are being urged to share any information they have on a suspected bird poisoning at Hamurana Reserve.

Date: 01 June 2022
DOC will consult with the Rakiura/Stewart Island community on plans to deal with a rat incursion on predator-free Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara.

Date: 01 June 2022
DOC is closing a cave in the Ōparara Basin in Kahurangi National Park for a year to protect rare spiders which live in it.

Date: 30 May 2022
A successful muster of Kaimanawa horses has seen 88 moved to approved homes and another group of mares put into a contraception programme to limit herd growth and reduce environmental impacts.

Date: 27 May 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
An independent assessment of stewardship land on the West Coast has delivered recommendations for revised land classifications, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan says.

Date: 27 May 2022
Ngāti Waewae will lead a ceremony in Punakaiki tomorrow morning to mark the start of the main construction work on the new Experience Centre.

Date: 25 May 2022
A Palmerston North man who removed a venomous sea snake from a North Island beach and then shared videos of the incident to the TikTok social media platform has been ordered to pay $500 to Save the Kiwi.

Date: 26 May 2022
Threatened native mistletoe has been discovered in a corner of the Eastern Bay of Plenty where it has not previously been recorded.

Date: 20 May 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Ramping up land-based pest control and investing in research to protect some of our most at risk marine animals are just two initiatives Budget 2022 is delivering as the Government scales up efforts to tackle Aotearoa New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis.

Date: 17 May 2022
Nine juvenile tūturuatu/tchūriwat’/shore plover were translocated to Portland (Waikawa) Island earlier this month as part of ongoing efforts to preserve this rare and threatened species.

Date: 13 May 2022
Demand for bookings over New Zealand’s 30th Great Walks season is strong, with Kiwis taking up more than 85% of spots, says the Department of Conservation.

Date: 13 May 2022
An extremely rare species of sea slug or ‘gravel maggot’ has been detected for the first time on a remote beach in South Westland.

Date: 13 May 2022
New research to test the use of repellents to help keep kea safe during predator control operations is underway near Arthur’s Pass in Canterbury.

Date: 12 May 2022
The Paparoa Track on the West Coast has fully reopened today, almost a fortnight ahead of schedule.

Date: 10 May 2022
A dead adult Hector’s dolphin was discovered at Te Waewae Bay in Southland at the weekend.

Date: 10 May 2022
A NIWA survey has used a deep-sea camera system to video the depths of the Kaikōura Canyon, providing fresh insights about marine life inside and outside Hikurangi Marine Reserve.

Date: 09 May 2022
A dead possum recently found on Great Barrier Island is thought to have come from outside the island.

Date: 05 May 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Public feedback is being sought on proposed changes to improve management planning and concession processes in conservation legislation.

Date: 04 May 2022
Bookings open for the 30th Great Walks season this week, starting with Milford Track which booked out in record time yesterday according to DOC data.

Date: 27 April 2022
An initiative that has provided tourism workers with alternative employment into the lead up to New Zealand’s borders reopening is being extended to ensure staff are retained, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.

Date: 28 April 2022
The last two years have seen most New Zealanders getting out in nature. This has provided valuable insights into how New Zealanders enjoy and value their great outdoors says DOC as it releases its latest visitor insights report.

Date: 27 April 2022
Wetlands expert and advocate Dr Beverley Clarkson was today presented with New Zealand’s most prestigious conservation award, the Loder Cup by Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan.

Date: 26 April 2022
A slip on the Tangoio Falls track in Hawke’s Bay has led to the temporary closure of the track.

Date: 26 April 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
More than 50 jobs are being created across Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland with the launch of three new Government-backed initiatives, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.

Date: 26 April 2022
The opening of the 2022–23 Great Walks booking season next week heralds 30 years of epic adventures in our backyard throughout the country, says Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan.

Date: 27 April 2022
An investment of $1.56 million from the Jobs for Nature fund will kickstart a project to reinstate mauri across coastal and wetland landscapes east and south of the Remutaka ranges.

Date: 22 April 2022
A Kahurangi National Park whio has proved a steadfast survivor, becoming one of the longest-lived of her species despite losing part of a wing and not being able to fly.

Date: 22 April 2022
Efforts to rescue a kiwi egg living life on the edge near roadworks have proven successful and Eastern Bay of Plenty locals couldn't be happier.

Date: 21 April 2022
Two more dead Hector’s dolphins have been found on South Island beaches.

Date: 20 April 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020 – Te Mana o te Taiao now has an accompanying implementation plan, aimed at driving collective action to tackle New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis.

Date: 19 April 2022
A survey of North Island kōkako following an aerial 1080 predator control operation in the Mamaku Ranges has revealed 71 pairs – up from 44 pairs in 2018.

Date: 13 April 2022
Hunters will be out enjoying the New Zealand backcountry this autumn as they chase mature trophy stags during the roar.

Date: 11 April 2022
Construction work on the main phase of DOC's Dolomite Point Redevelopment Project at Punakaiki will start next month.

Date: 08 April 2022
A report advocating changes to help DOC meet its Treaty of Waitangi obligations has been released ahead of public consultation on proposed policy changes.

Date: 08 April 2022
The stellar rise of mohua/yellowhead and other native birds in South Westland’s Landsborough valley is a welcome surprise to DOC scientists.

Date: 04 April 2022
The first spade hit the ground in Southland yesterday, to transform the spectacular and challenging Hump Ridge Track to Great Walk status.

Date: 04 April 2022
Analysis of new data from birds fitted with transmitters has revealed North Island kākā flying long distances and even taking an avian ‘OE’.

Date: 01 April 2022
DOC is suspending its requirement for people to be fully vaccinated to use its accommodation, in line with updated public health guidance.

Date: 31 March 2022
The discovery of an injured juvenile New Zealand falcon/kārearea near Rotorua serves as a reminder the young birds are more visible in autumn, say experts.

Date: 31 March 2022
Two decades of sustained predator control has seen the heartening growth of the kiwi population at Mt Moehau in northern Coromandel.

Date: 30 March 2022
DOC has granted authority for Kennedy Point Marina Development Limited to capture, handle and relocate kororā/little blue penguin at the Kennedy Point site, with stringent conditions.

Date: 29 March 2022
Public consultation on the proposal to establish a marine reserve at Hākaimangō – Matiatia (Northwest Waiheke Island) under the Marine Reserves Act 1971, closed on 20 March 2022.

Date: 23 March 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Several significant locations in northern Tongariro National Park and the western shores of Lake Taupō will be restored as part of a Jobs for Nature project being undertaken by Ngāti Tūwharetoa hapū, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.

Date: 22 March 2022
With 10 years of partnership between Genesis and DOC now in the bank, whio/blue duck are thriving in the tributaries of the Whanganui River.

Date: 22 March 2022
A member of the public discovered a dead adult Hector’s dolphin on New Brighton Beach in Christchurch on Saturday, 19 March.

Date: 18 March 2022
From being reluctant to dip their toes in water to frolicking in the Tongariro River, three whio have found new homes in the wild near Poutu Intake.

Date: 17 March 2022
DOC is continuing to boost conservation research with the announcement of this year’s ten postgraduate scholarship recipients.

Date: 17 March 2022
“Are your goods all good?” That’s the message from DOC for travellers who are bringing wildlife items into New Zealand as the nation reopens its borders.

Date: 15 March 2022
DOC has released the opening dates for next season’s bookings for its huts, campsites and lodges.

Date: 14 March 2022
DOC has received an application for a marine reserve at Hākaimangō – Matiatia (Northwest Waiheke Island) under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.

Date: 11 March 2022
A member of the public discovered a dead Hector’s dolphin in the West Coast’s Ōkārito Lagoon yesterday, 10 March.

Date: 11 March 2022
A project to restore the biodiversity of the Waipoua River catchment and to support sustainable land use for mana whenua, has reached a significant milestone with 293 bait stations for possum control installed over 600 hectares.

Date: 10 March 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
A new sanctuary for native plants and animals on the North Island Central Plateau is a step closer with support from the Government’s Mahi mō te Taiao/Jobs for Nature programme.

Date: 10 March 2022
Checking for bats before starting the chainsaws was all part of a day’s work for DOC rangers felling dangerous trees at Clements Mill Road in the Kaimanawa recently.

Date: 09 March 2022
The Wild Coast section of the Remutaka Cycle Trail cannot currently be accessed from Wairarapa due to a large landslip approximately 1.5 km west of Corner Creek.

Date: 09 March 2022
Whio, the iconic rapid-riding blue ducks which feature on the $10 note, are being celebrated today.

Date: 08 March 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
Whanganui, the first river in the world to be given status as a living being is to undergo restoration work with new funding from the Government’s Jobs for Nature - Mahi mō te Taiao programme.

Date: 08 March 2022
A unique hands-on training program supporting eight local young adults on their path towards a marine conservation career was launched earlier this week.

Date: 04 March 2022
The first stage of work in repairing storm damage to the Heaphy Track will begin late next week.

Date: 04 March 2022
With eight tara iti/New Zealand fairy tern expected to fledge (leave the nest), it’s been the best breeding season since 2013–2014 for one of Aotearoa New Zealand's rarest birds.

Date: 03 March 2022
DOC is calling for any sightings of a beaked whale in the Hauraki Gulf after receiving a report of a stranded beaked whale was pushed back out to sea by well-intentioned members of the public.

Date: 02 March 2022
As agreed with iwi, DOC yesterday morning closed the Whanganui Journey Great Walk due to confirmed cases of COVID-19 among a group of paddlers.

Date: 02 March 2022
DOC Ecologist Brian Rance believes he’s found a new plant species high in the Livingstone Mountains of Southland and is thrilled by the implications of the rare find.

Date: 01 March 2022
The chatter of mohua/yellowhead can once again be heard in the Poulter valley in Arthur’s Pass National Park after a 20-year absence after the release of 41 birds there yesterday.

Date: 25 February 2022
A dead Hector’s dolphin has been found on the West Coast today, exactly a week after one was found further south.

Date: 24 February 2022
A dead Hector’s dolphin was discovered last Friday 18 February at a beach near Mikonui, south of Hokitika, by a member of the public.

Date: 24 February 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The Sika Foundation will manage a project invested by the Jobs for Nature programme to minimise the impact of deer and other predators.

Date: 22 February 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The Jobs for Nature programme is investing in a project to build capacity for Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

Date: 22 February 2022
Structural engineers have confirmed that flood-damaged Heaphy Bridge on the Heaphy Great Walk is a write-off but it’s possible that Gunner Bridge can be fixed.

Date: 16 February 2022
More discoveries of rare pekapeka/long-tailed bats have been made on the West Coast through the work of the Government Covid-19 initiative Jobs for Nature.

Date: 16 February 2022
Tactile play features with an emphasis on native species are a new development for the ever-evolving education offered at DOC’s Kauaeranga Visitor Centre.

Date: 15 February 2022
As licences for private huts in the Ōrongorongo Valley begin to expire, DOC will work with hut license holders to phase some huts into public use.

Date: 14 February 2022
Six pilot whales have been euthanised by DOC staff following a stranding on Chatham Island this morning.

Date: 15 February 2022
The first steps to restoring Maungaruahine Pā, an imposing hilltop fortress which stands gazing out over the flat lands to the coast at Pāpāmoa, are underway.

Date: 10 February 2022
DOC has received a report of what could be a Māui dolphin with a rope around its tail at White’s Beach near Piha and is urging the public to be on the lookout and to report any sightings to 0800 DOC HOT.

Date: 10 February 2022
The severe damage done to the Heaphy Track by last week’s torrential rain means through trips of the track will not be possible for several months.

Date: 09 February 2022
Last week’s torrential rain has severely damaged parts of the Heaphy Track and it is closed until Sunday 13 February.

Date: 09 February 2022
A multi-agency partnership will see new methods and research approaches trialled for the control of the pest fish koi carp.

Date: 02 February 2022
The first kākāpō chick of the season has hatched on Whenua Hou, west of Rakiura/Stewart Island.

Date: 02 February 2022
The trial of a drone equipped with thermal imaging has proven successful in locating some of New Zealand’s most elusive and cryptic native birds.

Date: 02 February 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation and Minister for the Environment
The Government has welcomed the call to action for this year’s World Wetlands Day today, which has the theme ‘Wetlands Action for People and Nature’.

Date: 01 February 2022
Following years of unsuccessful breeding, DOC rangers and a team of dedicated conservation volunteers are ecstatic to see 30 tarāpuka (black-billed gull) fledglings around the Sulphur Bay Wildlife Refuge.

Date: 31 January 2022
A pygmy sperm whale that stranded at Paraparaumu Beach on Monday morning has been humanely euthanised by Department of Conservation staff to minimise its suffering.

Date: 28 January 2022
DOC staff remind the public it’s unacceptable to shoot protected birds, after a tarāpunga/red-billed gull was shot with an apparent crossbow bolt in Ōamaru.

Date: 28 January 2022
The toroa/northern royal albatross breeding season is well underway at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula with the arrival of this year’s Royal Cam star.

Date: 27 January 2022
Manta rays – gentle giants of New Zealand’s seas – are making increasing appearances this summer as DOC and Manta Watch NZ urge people to report sightings of the rare, huge fish.

Date: 27 January 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
A long-running penguin rehab facility, which has been hard hit by the tourism downturn, and work to restore native forest habitats in the Catlins are being supported through Jobs for Nature funding, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.

Date: 27 January 2022
Four young whio/blue ducks have graduated from their early days at Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre to be released into the aviary at Tongariro National Trout Centre.

Date: 25 January 2022
DOC staff are appalled at reports of protected seabirds found killed or injured by blowdarts in Waikanae.

Date: 25 January 2022
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Te Rūnanga o Ngati Waewae and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio will formally welcome the Western South Island stewardship land national panel to the West Coast with a pōwhiri at the Arahura marae near Hokitika today.

Date: 21 January 2022
An aerial 1080 predator control operation will protect a stronghold for critically endangered kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet near Arthur’s Pass in early-2022.

Date: 20 January 2022
A bold young bittern has caused a stir in Waikato striking a pose in a Cambridge couple’s urban backyard.

Date: 20 January 2022
Six kea chicks are believed to have successfully fledged in the Nelson Lakes area in the past month to boost the kea population.

Date: 19 January 2022
DOC local Iwi, Federated Mountain Clubs and Back Country Trust are in discussions to explore opportunities for a potential rebuild of the popular Lake Dive Hut in Egmont National Park.

Date: 19 January 2022
DOC says it’s still too early to know the full extent of damage to public conservation land from a devastating fire that started at Emerald Bay on Wānaka’s Glendhu Bluff on 9 January.

Date: 17 January 2022
The occupier of a lakefront home at Lake Rotoehu has been issued an infringement notice for the unauthorised removal of native vegetation including raupō.

Date: 14 January 2022
DOC says very few refunds have been issued due to bed bugs, as New Zealand trampers follow precautionary advice to make the most of summer.

Date: 11 January 2022
The Department of Conservation is offering a $5000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of whoever was responsible for killing at least eight fur seals on the Kaikōura coast late last year.

Date: 04 January 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
The Government is throwing its support behind projects aimed at restoring a cluster of eco-islands and habitats in the Manawatū which were once home to kiwi and whio.

Date: 08 January 2022
Source: Office of the Minister of Conservation
A boost in funding for a number of Jobs for Nature initiatives across Canterbury will provide sustainable employment opportunities for more than 70 people, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says.

Date: 07 January 2022
Nearly half a million dollars is going into removing wilding pines from Central North Island conservation areas that were previously being over-run by the pest trees.

Date: 03 January 2022
DOC is concerned that a sudden increase in poaching from the Hikurangi Marine Reserve could devastate the local pāua population, and undo years of careful preservation.