Taxon Plan for Eastern brown kiwi (Apteryx australis mantelli, Eastern) Strategic plan for the recovery of Eastern brown kiwi for the period 2014 – 2019 and beyond, including key actions required for their recovery. Lead author: Rhys Burns East Coast Bay of Plenty Conservancy Rotorua Version Date: April 2014 DOCDM-1256468 - Eastern NIBK Taxon Plan DRAFT 1 Low res figures 1 Last printed 27/11/2014 4:49:00 p.m. Preface The 2008-2018 Kiwi Recovery Plan (Holzapfel et al. 2008) provides strategic direction, at a national level, to ensure the long term viability of all kiwi taxa1. The Kiwi Recovery Group is responsible for the implementation and review of this national plan. Because the Kiwi Recovery Plan provides general national strategic level advice for many taxa over many regions, it can not practicably spell out management for each individual taxon to the level of detail required to guide work-plans and thus implement successful recovery. This is the role of taxon plans. Taxon plans translate the relevant goals, objectives and actions of the Kiwi Recovery Plan into a local context for individual taxa at a level of detail sufficient to guide operational plans. They are ‘best advice’ for all stakeholders regarding goals, objectives and actions, priorities and opportunities, for the management of individual taxa. As such, taxon plans are key documents for the implementation of the Kiwi Recovery Plan. Although taxon plans are more operationally-focused than the Kiwi Recovery Plan, they do not provide the level of detail of a workplan. Nor do taxon plans provide details of best practice information which is instead provided at a national level by the Kiwi Best Practice Manual (Robertson, et al. 2003). The accountability for each taxon plan rests with a lead Region, in consultation and guidance with the Kiwi Recovery Group. In some cases the implementation and review of taxon plans will be supported by a ‘taxon group’, including, key stakeholders and participants in the recovery of that taxon. Taxon plans have been developed in collaboration with key stakeholders for the taxon, including iwi, landowners, community-led kiwi projects and other conservancies involved in its recovery. Individual taxon plans have been peer- reviewed by the Kiwi Recovery Group to ensure that they fulfil their role as integral parts of the Kiwi Recovery Plan. Taxon plans have a 10 year term (staggered by 1 year from the recovery plan). They receive a progress review annually. 1 Species – a formally described (i.e. published in the scientific literature), base unit of taxonomic rank usually applied to groups of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile off spring. Five species of kiwi are described; North Island brown kiwi, rowi, tokoeka, great spotted and little spotted kiwi. Taxa – Inclusive of any level of taxonomic rank. In this context it includes the five described species and four genetically distinct provenances of kiwi currently recognised but not formally described, within each of the species NI brown (Northland, Coromandel, Eastern and Western) and tokoeka (Haast, Northern and Southern Fiordland and Stewart Island). Taxon – Singular, referring to single taxa. DOCDM-1256468 - Eastern NIBK Taxon Plan DRAFT 1 Low res figures 2 Last printed 27/11/2014 4:49:00 p.m. Table of Contents Preface 2 1. Introduction 7 2. Plan term and review date 10 3. Context 10 3.1 TAXONOMY............................................................................................................................... 10 3.2 BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 12 3.3 PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION TRENDS................................................... 15 3.4 THREAT STATUS ........................................................................................................................ 22 3.5 AGENTS OF DECLINE AND CURRENT THREATS ........................................................................... 22 3.6 PAST AND CURRENT MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................... 22 3.7 CULTURAL IMPORTANCE ........................................................................................................... 24 3.8 PUBLIC AWARENESS, KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND ASSOCIATES ................................................... 25 3.9 RECOVERY PRINCIPALS AND PREFERRED OPTION FOR RECOVERY ............................................. 25 4. Goals 27 4.1 LONG TERM RECOVERY GOAL ................................................................................................... 27 4.2 GOALS FOR THE TERM OF THIS TAXON PLAN ............................................................................. 27 5. Implementation 28 5.1 MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................................................... 28 5.1.1 TOPIC 1: TAXON PLANNING ................................................................................................... 29 5.1.2 TOPIC 2: KIWI SANCTUARY ................................................................................................... 31 5.1.3 TOPIC 3: ISLAND STRATEGY .................................................................................................. 32 5.1.4 TOPIC 4: BEST PRACTICE ....................................................................................................... 35 5.1.5 TOPIC 5: TAXON PLAN REVIEW SCHEDULE ........................................................................... 37 5.1.6 TOPIC 6: ISLAND BIOSECURITY ............................................................................................. 37 5.1.7 TOPIC 7: SMALL MANAGED POPULATIONS ............................................................................ 39 5.1.8 TOPIC 8: LARGE SECURE POPULATIONS ................................................................................ 40 5.1.9 TOPIC 9: DECLINING POPULATIONS ....................................................................................... 42 5.1.10 TOPIC 10: CARRYING CAPACITY WITH LITTLE SPOTTED KIWI ........................................... 44 5.1.11 TOPIC 11: INBREEDING DEPRESSION .................................................................................. 45 5.1.12 TOPIC 12: DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE ....................................................................... 47 5.1.13 TOPIC 13: GENETIC DIVERSITY .......................................................................................... 49 5.1.14 TOPIC 14: DATA MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................ 51 5.1.15 TOPIC 15: CAPTIVE COORDINATION .................................................................................. 53 5.1.16 TOPIC 16: CAPTIVE HUSBANDRY ....................................................................................... 55 TM 5.1.17 TOPIC 17: BNZ OPERATION NEST EGG .......................................................................... 56 5.1.18 TOPIC 18: GENETICS AND META-POPULATION MANAGEMENT .......................................... 58 5.1.19 TOPIC 19: PRIORITY KIWI MANAGEMENT SITES ................................................................ 60 5.1.20 TOPIC 20: FENCED SITES .................................................................................................... 61 5.1.21 TOPIC 21: KIWI CRÈCHES .................................................................................................. 63 5.1.22 TOPIC 22: KOHANGA KIWI SITES ....................................................................................... 63 5.1.23 TOPIC 23: SMALL UNMANAGED KIWI POPULATIONS ........................................................... 64 5.1.24 TOPIC 24: RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCALLY EXTINCT KIWI POPULATIONS .............................. 66 5.1.25 TOPIC 25: DOG MANAGEMENT .......................................................................................... 67 5.1.26 TOPIC 26: FUNDING KIWI CONSERVATION......................................................................... 68 DOCDM-1256468 - Eastern NIBK Taxon Plan DRAFT 1 Low res figures 3 Last printed 27/11/2014 4:49:00 p.m. 5.1.27 TOPIC 27: KIWI AS CONSERVATION FLAGSHIPS ................................................................. 70 5.1.28 TOPIC 28: SYNERGIES WITH OTHER CONSERVATION PROJECTS ......................................... 71 5.1.29 TOPIC 29: INTER-AGENCY CO-ORDINATION ...................................................................... 72 5.2.1 TOPIC 33 : ADVOCACY ......................................................................................................... 78 5.2.2 TOPIC 34: TANGATA WHENUA .............................................................................................. 80 5.2.3 TOPIC 35: COMMUNITY-LED INITIATIVES .............................................................................. 83 5.2.4 TOPIC 36: SPONSORSHIP ........................................................................................................ 86 5.2.5 TOPIC 37: STATUTORY PLANNING ......................................................................................... 87 5.2.6 TOPIC 38: DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS ................................................ 91 5.2.7 TOPIC 39: TOURISM ............................................................................................................... 92 5.2.8 TOPIC 40: VOLUNTEERS .......................................................................................................