$10m rescue plan could miss rare birds

By ANNE BESTON environment reporter

A national conservation lobby group says rare birds could be left to fend for themselves under a new $10 million emergency rescue plan.

Forest and Bird conservation manager Kevin Hackwell said Operation Ark, announced by Conservation Minister Chris Carter, raised questions about what happened to critically endangered species outside the Department of Conservation's proposed 10 priority areas.

"We don't want to see important populations of native birds wiped out simply because they were not designated 'Ark'," he said. Operation Ark is the biggest predator control programme attempted by DoC.

It creates 10 "safe zones" for significant populations of endangered species where DoC's full range of predator-killing weapons will be launched in a short time, over thousands of hectares, as necessary. They include aerial drops of 1080 and brodifacoum rat poison, plus stoat and rat trapping.

The plan was drawn up after a disastrous 2000/2001 breeding year for some birds in South Island beech forests when high levels of beech seed sparked a "predator plague" of rats and stoats.

That season is being blamed for bringing the orange-fronted kakariki to the brink of extinction in North Canterbury's Hurunui and Hawdon valleys - down from about 700 birds to an estimated 150-200 birds.

DoC scientists believe they can now predict "beech masting", thought to occur two years in a row once every 20 years or so and in single years every five years or so.

Operation Ark will be activated in any of the 10 "safe zones" whenever heavy seeding is predicted.

On a visit to the Hawdon Valley late last week Mr Carter said DoC would have all resource consents, licences and approvals for Operation Ark in place by next September.

In a worst-case scenario, Operation Ark might be needed in a number of areas in one year, he said. The maximum for Operation Ark in all 10 sites would be $10 million.

The sites, to be identified this month, are likely to be hotly debated by conservationists.

Operation Ark

Department of Conservation's biggest effort yet at predator control.

Includes 10 safe zones for endangered species.

DoC has full range of predator-killing weapons at its disposal.