Whio gets extra help to survive predators

ENDANGERED: The blue duck, or whio, is at constant risk from stoats.

The Ruahine population of endangered blue duck, or whio, has received some much-needed support in the form of a new line of 44 stoat traps in the Mākaroro River.

The traps have been funded by Forest & Bird's new Grants for Nature Fund and will be maintained by the local Central Hawke's Bay branch with the support of members of the Ruahine Whio Protection Trust.

CHB Forest and Bird co-chair Louise Phillips says the branch is "looking forward to helping the whio recovery in the local area, and are very appreciative of national Forest and Bird for its assistance".

The new line will bring the total number of whio protection traps in the Ruahine Ranges to about 1800, all maintained by volunteers from tramping and hunting clubs and the general public, in an effort to reverse the ongoing decline of the iconic backcountry species.

Ruahine Whio Protection Trust chairwoman Janet Wilson says "This new line is great because it extends the protection for whio already in place in the upper river.

"The whio population will not increase unless enemy No 1- stoats - are controlled. It is great to have CHB Forest & Bird leading this project and I encourage other CHB locals to become involved."

Volunteers are always being sought to help maintain the traps.

Anyone interested in assisting on the new Makaroro line can contact Peter Meredith of Forest & Bird at 027 687 5572.

For other options in the Ruahine, phone Ben Douglas of the Ruahine Whio Collective at 027 3044 799.