Takitumu Conservation Area Visitor Guide

Cook Islands Biodiversity and Ethnobiology Database Takitumu Conservation Area

Visitor Guide

Phone: +682 29906 Email: [email protected] Prepared for the Takitumu Conservation Area by the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust

Acknowledgements

Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust

Cook Islands National Environment Service

Cook Islands Ridge to Reef Project

Appreciation

Front Cover: Rarotonga Flycatcher 2yrs old 26

Threats to the TCA Wildlife

Takitumu Conservation Area Visitor Guide

Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust

Overview of TCA Polynesian Freycinetia Kiekie Freycinetia arborea Native

Fernland Orchid Spathoglottis plicata Recent Introduction

Tuanu‘e

24 King Fern ‘Āna‘e Contents Angiopteris evecta Native

Smooth Bird's-nest Fern Kōta‘a Tua-rua Asplenium nidus Native

23 Rarotonga Flycatcher Kākerōri Shampoo Ginger Kōpī ‘Enua Pomarea dimidiata Endemic Zingiber zerumbet Polynesian Introduction

Budding Tree-fern Panga Tua-more Cyathea decurrens Native

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Red Mistletoe Pauma Decaisnina forsteriana Native

The Kākerōri Story

Giant Taro Kape Alocasia macrorrhizos Polynesian Introduction

21 2 Rarotonga Starling ‘Ī‘oi Kava Shrub Kava Māori Aplonis cinerascens Endemic Piper methysticum Polynesian Introduction

Night-blooming Cestrum Tiare Ariki-va‘ine Cestrum nocturnum Recent Introduction

3 20 Cordyline Tī Cordyline fruticosa Polynesian Introduction

The Mysterious Starling of Ma‘uke

Pacific Mussaenda Kōtuku Mussaenda raiateensis Native

19 4 Cook Islands Fruit-dove Kūkupa Cecropia Rau-māniota Ptilinopus rarotongensis Endemic Cecropia pachystachya Recent Introduction

Red Hibiscus Kaute ‘Enua Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Polynesian Introduction

5 18 Cook Islands Pittosporum Kavakava Pacific Pigeon Rupe Pittosporum rarotongense Endemic Ducula pacifica Native

Strawberry Guava Tūava Papa‘ā Psidium cattleianum Recently Introduced

17 6 White-tailed Tropicbird Rākoa Rarotonga Fitchia Neinei Phaethon lepturus Native Fitchia speciosa Endemic

White Tern Kākāia Gygis alba Native Rarotonga Meryta Kaka Vatua Meryta pauciflora Endemic

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Rubber Tree Rapa Pacific Golden Plover Tōrea Ficus elastica Recent Introduction Pluvialis fulva Native Migrant

Albizia ‘Ārapitia Long-tailed Cuckoo Karavia Falcataria moluccana Recent Introduction Urodynamis taitensis Native Migrant

15 8 Eastern Rosella Tree Hibiscus ‘Au Platycercus eximius Recent Introduction Hibiscus tiliaceus Polynesian Introduction

Common Myna Manu Kavamani Acridotheres tristis Recently Introduced African Tulip Tree Kō‘ī‘ī Spathodea campanulata Recent Introduction

9 14 Polynesian Chestnut I‘i Blue-moon Butterfly Pepe Tako Inocarpus fagifer Polynesian Introduction Hypolimnas bolina Native

Bischofia Koka Bischofia javanica Polynesian Introduction Red Postman Butterfly Heliconius erato Recent Introduction

13 10 Pacific Fruit-bat Moā Kirikiri Polynesian Mahogany Tamanu Pteropus tonganus Native Calophyllum inophyllum Native

Cook Islands Homalium Mato Fagraea Pua Homalium acuminatum Endemic Fagraea berteroana Native

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