PRECIOUS: A New Zealand shore plover chick at Pukaha Mount Bruce, held by captive breeding ranger Raelene Berry.
The team at Pukaha Mount Bruce have more reasons to smile with the hatching of two New Zealand shore plover chicks last week.
Pukaha Mount Bruce has four breeding pairs of the critically endangered birds and with estimations of only 250 New Zealand shore plovers in the wild, the hatching
of two chicks is a boost to this species. Two other pairs are currently sitting on eggs which will shortly be removed and placed into the incubation room for the final two weeks of incubation.
"While all our captive breeding programmes are important, the New Zealand shore plover are on the list of critically endangered birds," said general manager Helen Tickner. "To have even two more hatch into the population is a big win and we are hopeful that the other pairs will provide us with more healthy chicks".
Pukaha Mount Bruce and Peacock Springs in Christchurch are the two captive breeding sites in New Zealand for these birds. While visitors to Pukaha Mount Bruce are unable to view the plovers as they are skittish and prone to abandoning their nests if disturbed, they can see kakariki fledglings in the aviaries, a North Island brown kiwi being raised in the chick nursery and enjoy up to six talks throughout the day about New Zealand's endangered wildlife.
