Current estimates on Whio population identify less than 3,000 left.
Whio is a true taonga (treasured) species of New Zealand.
They are our only endemic mountain duck and one of three true riverine duck species worldwide, making them rarer than some species of Kiwi.
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Eastern Whio Link is a hunter and fishermen-led conservation project situated in the upper reaches of the Waioeka Gorge (between Opotiki and Gisborne) with the goal to protect Whio (blue duck).
Eastern Whio Link was established to protect the remaining population of this nationally vulnerable species.
By aiding in their recovery, we are helping enable a breeding population to establish in the area and disperse into surrounding watersheds.
The project
Whio A - $200 per credit
Establishment
1 Whio A ($200) = 100m of newly protected Whio habitat (first year): $200
10 Whio A ($2,000) = 1km of new habitat protection established
30 Whio A ($6,000) = 3km (a Whio pair home range) of new habitat protection established
Whio B - $50 per credit
Maintenance
1 WhioB ($50) = continued protection of 100m of Whio habitat (for one year): $50
10 WhioB ($500) = 1km of habitat maintenance for 1 year
30 WhioB ($1,500) = 3km (a Whio pair home range) of habitat maintenance for 1 year
What the credit enables
Expanding the project
Juvenile protection:
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Given it is in the nature of juvenile Whio to disperse, EWL is looking to expand their trapping network to include the remaining 25km of Whio habitat available. This will protect our juvenile population and allow them to establish breeding territories of their own.
Trapline expansion:
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EWL have existing DOC community agreements to establish Whio projects in the Ruatahunga (North of Gisborne), which we hope to pursue in the coming years. This will go a long way to achieving our end goal of establishing one interconnected Whio population from Te Urewera through to the East Cape.
Kiwi support:
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While working on the Whio project EWL discovered the presence of North Island brown kiwi, a species we had assumed disappeared long ago from this area. EWL has since worked closely with local landowners to establish a 4,000ha intensive trapping network focussed on stoats and wild cats around this remnant population and hopes to extend this protection to 10,000ha in the coming years.
Transportation
Project delivery
Field crew wages
Bait, lure and traps
Monitoring equipment