London fundraiser raises over $14,000 for kokako conservation
5 September 2005
A London auction of New Zealand art work has raised more than $14,000 to aid the recovery of a rare New Zealand songbird - the kokako.
Organised by Patrick Battersby, a New Zealand lawyer living in London, the August 6 auction attracted 120 people and over 50 works of art were sold. These included prints, paintings, photographs, jewellery and quilts.
Janet Marshall's painting Kokako living on the edge (shown far left) fetched the highest price of £600 ($NZ1550) and paintings commissioned by Christchurch artist Rae West - Huia love blooms and Huia flora (shown near left)- fetched £440 ($NZ1136) and £500 ($NZ1291) respectively.
Department of Conservation kokako recovery group leader Rose Collen, said the guests were impressed with the New Zealand artwork and the entertainment at the event, held in the London Wetland Centre.
"It was a great success," she said.
Ms Collen gave "full credit" to the New Zealand artists for their contributions. Sixty-four items were donated, including prints, paintings and photographs, by
Rei Hamon, Awanui Hamon, Janet Marshall, Rae West, Rio Rossellini, Janine Whitelaw, Don Merton, Steve Moase, Paul Martinson, Rachel Collen, Rebecca Osborne, Bryan and Leslie Welch, Sarah King, John Collen, Andy Palmer, Tristan Tuckey, Fey Valient, Shona Drake, Merle Stevenson, Trevor Byron and Wendy Evans.
"Their contributions obviously made it happen," Ms Collen said.
"They were all enthusiastic and happy to donate to the cause and their artwork was of the highest standard. People in London were very impressed and some of the artwork was sold prior to the auction. It seems that some of the buyers didn't want to miss out."
Prior to the auction, guests were treated to a champagne reception, a tour of the wetland centre, a "stunning" performance by the Manaia Maori Performing Arts Company, which included a play about kokako, and a presentation by Rose Collen about the kokako and efforts going into kokako recovery.
Major sponsors of the event were Cathay Pacific Airways who transported the artwork safely to London for free, and NativeZ who donated native bird soft toys to the auction.
The proceeds will be used to subsidise several kokako recovery projects including translocations to boost small kokako populations in areas such as Boundary Stream in Hawke's Bay, and the Hunua Ranges near Auckland. Some of the funds will also contribute towards the establishment of a viable wild population in the 942 hectare Pukaha Mount Bruce forest in northern Wairarapa.
"Some of the funds will go towards the transfer of six pairs from the Mapara Wildlife Reserve in the Waikato to Pukaha Mount Bruce in September," said Ms Collen.
"It will be a tremendous boost to the current population of between 10 and 12 birds."
A population of 25 pairs is considered viable enough to sustain a few losses in a year and the aim is to get the Pukaha Mount Bruce population up to this level as soon as possible.
Ms Collen said bringing kokako from Mapara to Pukaha Mount Bruce will achieve a greater genetic diversity, avoiding a potential "genetic bottleneck" and ensuring a healthy new population.
Genetic bottlenecking happens when a population is reduced to very few individuals with similar genetic code, and can result in fertility and health problems in future generations.
The kokako currently in the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest originate from the Mangatutu ecological area in Waikato's Pureora Forest Park, a stronghold of the species. Nine birds have been transferred from Mangatutu to Pukaha Mount Bruce since July 2003. Two captive Pukaha Mount Bruce kokako which originated from Mangatutu, were also released into the forest. The first breeding in the wild at Pukaha occurred in February 2004, with two kokako chicks produced.
Department of Conservation biodiversity ranger Tony Silbery said that a kokako population census will be carried out at Pukaha on 11 September, to confirm the exact numbers of kokako resident and to map their territories.
"We are planning for another summer of intensive monitoring which involves locating pairs and following birds to their nests so that we can determine the outcome of the breeding season."
Kokako belongs to New Zealand's unique wattlebird family (Callaeidae), an ancient group which includes the extinct huia and endangered saddleback. The New Zealand kokako is renowned for its hauntingly beautiful call and striking blue-grey feathering, a black "lone-ranger" mask and magnificent cobalt-blue wattles (ornamental folds of skin) below its beak. Forest clearance, by New Zealand's early settlers, and the introduction of mammalian predators, such as rats, stoats and possums, caused the decline of this special bird. But the tide is turning thanks to intensive and sustained pest control.
Once widespread throughout the North Island, kokako disappeared from the lower North Island some 60 years ago. By 1990 fewer than 1000 birds remained, north of a line drawn from Taranaki to East Cape. Over the past 15 years, remaining populations of kokako have been closely studied to determine causes of decline. Management prescriptions have been developed and refined and, through their careful implementation, the national kokako population has begun to increase again over the past five years.
With intensive control of introduced mammalian predators - through poisoning and trapping at existing and new sites throughout the kokako's former range - the population can continue to grow and eventually shrug off its threatened status.
