Arctic success sees new hope for kōkako

A National Party MP and his son raised almost $10,000 for the conservation of the endangered kōkako bird in the Hunua Ranges after a successful expedition to the North Pole.

Andrew Bayly, Hunua’s MP, and son James, ventured into the Arctic with a goal of not only reaching the Pole, but increasing the number of kōkako in their local regional park.

“Back in ’78 there were only one breeding pair of kōkako left [in the Hunua Ranges] and we’ve now got the population up to about 66 breeding pairs,” said Mr Bayly Snr.

“It’s a perfect example of what conservation can do [for] an endangered species, and we’re happy to support it,” said Mr Bayly.

The father-son duo, along with two others, reached the North Pole on April 22 (April 23 NZ time) and were rapt at the success of the expedition.

“It was quite something, especially when we arrived at the Pole [and] realised that everything on Earth is below you at that point. That was probably the best moment of the trip,” said Mr Bayly.

“For me it was very special because I had James with me,” said Mr Bayly Snr, who had previously been on a successful expedition to the South Pole in the summer of 2013.

“We found our Pole [and] flew a flag at our Pole, but overnight [it] would drift away. The next people to arrive will have their own Pole. That piece of ice that was our Pole for an instant and will probably never be a Pole again.”

The Baylys have donated the money raised to the Hunua Kōkako Recovery Project, and Mr Bayly Snr wants it to go to the hard-working volunteers.

“[The volunteers are] the people that go out every week and walk for long distances through the Hunua Ranges. They check the 2000 bait stations and the 200 traps, and they’re doing it over about 17,000 hectares,” said Mr Bayly Snr.

According to kōkako recovery contractor, David Bryden, there are “over 50 volunteers volunteering over 1200 hours per year to conserve the kōkako”.

Ashley White, who previously volunteered in the Hunua Regional Park and is now the volunteer coordinator for northern Auckland with the Auckland Council, said volunteers are imperative in the managing of regional parks.

“Without the volunteers [the Hunua Ranges Regional Park] wouldn’t be managed. Those people on the ground are making it happen. They’re the ones that go out there every week . . . It’s really labour intensive.

“Without them, honestly, it wouldn’t happen.”

Mr Bryden is hoping for 100 breeding pairs in the ranges by 2018, and the funds raised from the expedition will assist with this.