Foundation North has granted of $25,000 to New Zealand Fairy Tern Charitable Trust, to support its crucial work protecting the last 40 fairy terns (tara iti) alive.
The Trust was established in 2008 by a group of volunteers who had been assisting the Department of Conservation in monitoring the critically endangered birds for many years. Today its main activities are advocacy and public education, logistical support of volunteers on four breeding grounds, and the management of predator control, particularly at Mangawhai, the fairy tern's most important breeding location.
Foundation North said the grant would enable the trust to continue its pest and predator control programme in the Mangawhai Wildlife Refuge, protecting the fairy tern and other shorebirds that nest there.
Trust chair Heather Rogan said the predator control programme was begun in 2012, and had improved fairy tern breeding success, with much of the credit for that going to trapper Reg Whale and his conservation dog Kenny.
"Reg Whale's trapping prowess has meant that no birds, chicks or eggs have been lost to the predators targeted since the start of the programme," Rogan said.