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| Maggie's Kitchen |
This morning we went to breakfast at Maggie’s Kitchen. We met Maggie and her husband, Alan, and enjoyed the hot meal. We also learned that Greymouth, a mining town, had a mining accident where miner's lives were lost. There was a lovely tribute in the cafe for the Pike River Memorial.
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| The gang with Jo Haley at the Kiwi Creche |
After breakfast, we headed to the base of the Paparoa mountains for the Paparoa
Kiwi Creche. We met Jo Haley, a 63-year-old lady who qualifies as being flexible,
a good mother, and good in the “bush”. The first thing we noticed was the predator-proof
fence that costs 300$ per meter. The fence is meant to keep out stoats, mainly, but it
is possible for baby mice to sneak in. Another measure used to monitor invasive predators
is through trapping lines and ink cards that capture the footprint of any animal that
walks over it.
Kiwi Creche. We met Jo Haley, a 63-year-old lady who qualifies as being flexible,
a good mother, and good in the “bush”. The first thing we noticed was the predator-proof
fence that costs 300$ per meter. The fence is meant to keep out stoats, mainly, but it
is possible for baby mice to sneak in. Another measure used to monitor invasive predators
is through trapping lines and ink cards that capture the footprint of any animal that
walks over it.
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| A kiwi feather |
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| An ink card |
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| A kiwi egg |
Jo then told us about Operation Nest Egg which involves raising the kiwis while they are too small to defend themselves. The eggs are collected from the wild and taken to Willowbank for incubation. Once the kiwis are 2 months old, they are moved to the Kiwi Creche for a year before being released into the wild. Kiwis have a 95% chance to survive in the wild after the first 6 months of life and growth.
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| Jo extracting Juno |
We then went out on a kiwi hunt! Jo explained that each of the kiwis in the creche have a transmitter. It was very impressive watching Jo track down 1 of only 3 kiwis in the entire reserve. We met Juno, a 3 month old female (she had a longer beak than a male would). As Jo pulled her from the burrow by her feet, we learned that kiwis use the claws on their feet to fight with. I would have figured that they use their bills to do battle, however, the bill is very delicate. If it breaks, the kiwi will die. Jo also showed us the nostrils under the bill, the whiskers, and the modified feathers.
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| Jo showing us Juno's wings |
Speaking of feathers, kiwis have fragile, small wings that have nearly become vestigial
through evolution. Since there are no native mammals on New Zealand, kiwis merged into
that role and are considered “honorary” mammals. Another trait that makes them closer to
mammals is the fact that they have bone marrow instead of hollow bones, like a regular bird.
through evolution. Since there are no native mammals on New Zealand, kiwis merged into
that role and are considered “honorary” mammals. Another trait that makes them closer to
mammals is the fact that they have bone marrow instead of hollow bones, like a regular bird.
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| Jo showing us Juno's delicate beak |
Jo checks the kiwis once a month. This process includes weighing, checking the fat under their ribs, measuring their bill, and moving the transmitter to the other leg to balance their gait. Juno now weighs enough to be released out into the wild, however, Jo always waits until after Christmas so as not to make the kiwis go through the hardships of winter.
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| Jo and Juno |
We ended our kiwi experience and returned Juno to her burrow.
We spent the afternoon eating lunch at Punakaiki National Park and visiting the Pancake Rocks. The formations were flat stacked limestone rocks formed by thousands of years of erosion. We hurried through the trail as it rained over and over again.
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| A weka at Punakaiki |
The Pancake Rocks
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| Sherman the Sheep enjoying the view |
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| Sherman the Sheep found a natural chair |
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| The gang at The Pancake Rocks |
We next headed to Fox River to look for the elusive New Zealand Robin. On the way, we saw Nikau palms (the only palm in New Zealand) the Black Tree Fern, (the tallest in New Zealand) the Rata, (the blooms provide food for Tuis) and the Kamahi. Once inside the woods, we shook trees to attract the Robin. All of the raucous simulated when the Moas would walk through and kick up insects for the Robins to eat.
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| We spotted a koru (Maori for "loop") on this tree fern! |
Don't these look like scenes right out of Jurassic Park?
Paige and Emily jamming
We next met Richard to watch the petrels. They flew overhead from the beach
and went to the mountains behind us at sunset. It was almost like watching
the bats come out of the Bat Houses at UF, however, there were 4,000
breeding pairs of petrels with a wingspan of 1.4 meters. It was quite
different from a cloud of tiny bats.
and went to the mountains behind us at sunset. It was almost like watching
the bats come out of the Bat Houses at UF, however, there were 4,000
breeding pairs of petrels with a wingspan of 1.4 meters. It was quite
different from a cloud of tiny bats.
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| Credit to Jámm whose back nearly broke taking these |
Our last stop of the day was Punakaiki Cavern. We crouched and crawled
into the cave with lights pointed at our feet and we turned them off as
we got nearer so that we didn't disturb the glow worms. They looked like
twinkling stars in the pitch black cave as they attracted insects for a
midnight snack. It was stupendous.
into the cave with lights pointed at our feet and we turned them off as
we got nearer so that we didn't disturb the glow worms. They looked like
twinkling stars in the pitch black cave as they attracted insects for a
midnight snack. It was stupendous.
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| I know it doesn't look like much, but this is the ONLY photo we got to capture the glow worms, thanks Caroline! |
~Maddie
