Fonterra and the Department of Conservation are working together in their Living Water partnership to protect the threatened international flight path of the bar-tailed godwit.
The godwit, or kuaka, was recently crowned New Zealand's Bird of the Year for 2015, and also lays claim to the longest migration of any bird in the world. The travel to New Zealand from Alaska and Siberia each spring - a distance of over 12,000km, covered in a mere 10 days.
Between 80,000 and 100,000 godwits arrived in New Zealand in late September, settling to feed at various locations, including Pūkorokoro-Miranda on the Firth of Thames and Blockhouse Bay on the Manukau Harbour.
Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Chinese Ambassador Wang Lutong met on the Miranda coastline to observe the birds they are both seeking to protect. The number of godwits that reach here is decreasing by 2 percent each year, thought to be largely due to interference with the species' habitats.
Pūkorokoro-Miranda is a Living Water catchment overseen by Fonterra and DOC. Both organisations are in discussions with nearby dairy farmers, iwi and conservationists to try and foster the condition of the area and ensure the wellbeing of its birds, as well as the greater ecosystem.
