Coastal Otago ranger Sharyn Broni expressed her delight at the fantastic breeding season, matching last year’s record for the most successfully fledged chicks. Broni highlighted the immense effort put into raising the chicks, with round-the-clock care during hatching and feeding one chick over 100 kilograms in five months.
Protecting the eggs from flystrike is crucial due to the increasing threat posed by hot, dry summers. Broni emphasized the importance of intervention to prevent deaths caused by flystrike. Over the years, various methods have been employed, including using mint in nests and setting up fly traps. However, the most effective measure in recent years has been the use of incubators.
Given their slow breeding rate and long lifespan, the toroa population can only increase gradually. Broni reflected on her 26 years of experience, noting the significant progress from fledging 10 chicks to consistently reaching over 30 now.
The implementation of GPS trackers has enabled researchers to track the birds’ movements across the ocean. Broni revealed that the first chicks to fledge have already traveled over 9000 kilometers to the coast of Chile.
Overall, the successful breeding season and the use of advanced tracking technology signify positive developments in the conservation efforts for the toroa population.
