The take-off of a long-term regional programme to restore seabirds: challenges, first outcomes and perspectives
Abstract: New Zealand is internationally recognized as the seabird capital of the world with approximately one quarter of all seabirds breeding here, of which 10% are endemic. Within New Zealand, the Auckland Region is a hotspot for seabird biodiversity. There are 25 seabird species known to breed i...
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
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Underline Science Inc.
2021
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| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.48448/00qp-ec82 https://underline.io/lecture/34674-the-take-off-of-a-long-term-regional-programme-to-restore-seabirds-challenges,-first-outcomes-and-perspectives |
| Summary: | Abstract: New Zealand is internationally recognized as the seabird capital of the world with approximately one quarter of all seabirds breeding here, of which 10% are endemic. Within New Zealand, the Auckland Region is a hotspot for seabird biodiversity. There are 25 seabird species known to breed in this region, of which 12 (50%) are New Zealand endemic species or subspecies. These include 12 petrels and shearwaters, 1 penguin, 1 gannet, 5 shags, 3 gulls and 3 terns. However, most of these birds are 'threatened' or 'at risk', requiring urgent restoration and conservation management. This led the Auckland Council to establish the first regional government seabird monitoring and research programme, which started in late 2018. This long-term (over 10 years) programme aims to increase our knowledge on the presence, health, and trends of seabird populations in the Auckland Region and the factors affecting their population distributions and trends so as to advise and develop restoration actions to improve the conservation statuses of these species. Here we will present our approach in setting the first region-wide programme, the challenges in dealing with more than 25 species across a wide area, including inaccessible islands, the first fieldwork activities and outputs, and the exciting perspectives for the restoration of thriving seabird populations. Authors: Gaia Dell'Ariccia¹, Todd Landers¹ ¹Auckland Council |
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