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Threatened fauna of the Canterbury Region. Colin F J O’Donnell Southern Regional Science Centre Department of Conservation PO Box 13049, Christchurch. Threatened fauna. Proportion of national total in Canterbury - fauna taxa. Wetlands/lowland rivers. >90% drained. Canterbury Mudfish.
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Threatened fauna of the Canterbury Region Colin F J O’Donnell Southern Regional Science Centre Department of Conservation PO Box 13049, Christchurch
Wetlands/lowland rivers >90% drained
Canterbury Mudfish • Aquatic vegetation/ overgrown springs and margins of wetlands • Can cope with short periods of drying – form burrows • Solitary
Lowland longjaw galaxias Kakanui (Kauru River) Hakataramea (1989) Twizel area (e.g. Fraser Stream) Open braided cobble/gravel river Shallow riffle habitat ? Spawning requirements
Threats • Badly designed culverts, weirs, and dams • Pollution and sedimentation • Changes in water levels/drainage • Stock damage to margins • Predation & competition • Loss of habitat • Reduced flows • Overfishing • Weed encroachment
Multiple channels • Flow instability • High gradients • High levels of sediment supply and movement • Constant channel movements • Seasonally rich food supplies These processes provide outstanding feeding and nesting habitat for wetland birds & other fauna
Distribution of braided rivers nationally 163 rivers
Number of wetland birds from index counts on rivers > 80 bird species O’Donnell & Moore (1983), Robertson et al. (1984), Maloney (1999)
Trends in wrybill numbers Hay (1979), Davies (1997), Riegen & Dowding (2001)
Proportions of major rivers with weed encroachment After Wilson (2001)
Predation by introduced mammals The ‘moat’ effect – islands separated from the mainland by large flows appear to limit predation
Rules for habitat protection Firewood cutting rules Legal protection of waterways
Adequate environmental flows to sustain fauna • Assured environmental flows and water levels in rivers/wetlands/coastal lagoons
Protected areas networks • Focus on lowlands where >90% loss • For example: Protect a representative range of rivers • Braided rivers are not represented in our reserve network (though the waters of some are now protected with Conservation Orders) • Most riverbeds are classed as “unoccupied crown land” or are council/private land
Sustained predator control Poison laid 80% dead within 2 days
Community conservation initiatives: bat houses in South Canterbury
Species translocations: Quail Island using wooden disc technique for beetles…
Recreation management Black-fronted tern chick crushed by vehicle
Conclusions: Huge challenges • Most threatened biodiversity does NOT occur in reserves or on DOC land • Need good inventories of what still remains • Regional action plans (Canterbury Biodiversity Strategy first step) • Need to turn the strategy into action to halt the loss