New! Wildlife Management Wiki

[Dave Houston]

A Wildlife Management Wiki as been created on this site at http://www.wildlifemanagement.net.nz/wiki

The aim of the wiki is to provide best practice, species husbandry manuals, "how to's" etc that contain the collective knowledge of the NZ wildlife management community, along with a repository for useful information (e.g. lists of predator-fenced sites and eradications. 

At the moment there are ony a few topics on the site, but feel free to create or suggest others - even if it is just a basic outline.

Currently the wiki requires a separate login (but I'm looking at that) and if required I can limit editing access to certain pages by creating groups of allowable editors - e.g. the editing of the grand and Otago skinks husbandry manual is restricted to a few individuals.

Please post any suggestions/comments on the wiki in this thread.

[Steptoe]

Very good idea...
I can only speak in regards to kakariki,  of concern is best practises ie how many per flight, diet, min breeding facilities considered good practice by private breeders in NZ and those overseas, are often in contravention of DoC policies...policies basically dreamed up by some desk jockey based on PC concepts, yet actual good practises are basically just commonsense and and yrs of hands on experience are "not allowed because they do not have scientific basis"
A concept that defies logic
So would posting say information on keeping a flock of kakariki in a flight, when the "allowable" would be 1 pair, be acceptable?

I do see such information, would be very usefull for the future of many species.

[Dave Houston]

My knowledge of kakariki is minimal, but from what I understand the "one pair per aivary" is a guideline for successful breeding - not a policy.  It would seem to me that the pros and cons of this sort of thing are just what should be discussed in any best practice.  I may have tripped over a draft best practice and am checking with the authors on it's status and future, so stay tuned.

[Steptoe]

DoC generaly refers people to kakariki.net for info on how to.

This is what DoC used to issue with permits upto a few yrs ago, I do not know if it is still issued...

But it is so way off...eg the diet will eventually kill the birds...

If you can find something more current , that would be interesting.

My concern is If I draft something up, say on acceptable stds used off shore it would be in huge conflict with DoC concepts, If drawn up with general practices used by breaders in NZ, again this could in many areas create issues.
"Because of their active nature, kakarikis are best housed in an outdoor aviary; and the larger this can be, the better."
This is very wrong..if capturing to move to another flight, whatever, this process needs to be carried out quick and effectively, espec with younger birds, to elimate stress...young kakariki can die, and I believe this was an issue in the early days of the orange kakariki breeding program inspite of warnings from private breeders...The deaths where blamed on the trip stress.
Which again how to transport lage numbers....
When I sent 12 down to the program after an 18 hr trip, they where shocked at the tiny box....expecting to find dead birds...
The big shock was when unscrewing the lid they flew out in good condition as if nothing had happened....A lesson learnt from Aussie breeders who ship from Sydney to Perth...AND an old freind who as a mechant seaman on the Sth American run in the early 60s, they would bring back to England wild parrots to sell in the pubs...tamed down on the trip. (Different time in history but it doesnt mean things cant be learnt from their experiance)

We had an occassion with a DoC person, who i have great respect for, visiting, he saw a flock in a flight  approx 1.2x 2,2x 2 H
His intial body reaction was shock...I just left him to make a couple coffees....his comment was simply, absolutely amazing, never seen so many in such a small space but they are so happy, active, interreacting, healthy, big and good looking.
I will qualify, flights are like tropical fish tanks, the issue is the point of pollution due to high popuation...and automatic fresh watering systems, knowing what to feed when, and how to keep these levels well below any critical piont....and understanding pecking orders placing of perches etc.

Kakariki ARE VERY unique in their personality, movement, nature , diet to the majority of other parrots.