Tui, a golden labrador retriever, is specially trained to detect these protected birds.
During a survey of the Ten Mile Stream catchment in the Paparoa Ranges earlier this year, Tui unearthed a feather, leading her and her owner to uncover seven whio, including ducklings, after navigating through challenging terrain.
Glen Newton, Tui’s owner and project manager at the Paparoa Wildlife Trust, shared with RNZ’s Checkpoint program that with a skilled dog like Tui, locating the endangered birds becomes less of a challenge.
“The most difficult part is reaching the areas where the ducks reside because they inhabit rugged terrain… picture steep West Coast bush, steep streams, and large boulders.”
Despite nearing retirement at twelve years old, Tui has dedicated most of her life to locating whio and remains an expert at her job.
“She possesses an exceptional sense of smell, and you can observe the change in her behavior when she’s on the scent. She becomes more focused and intense in her work.”
Newton explained that Tui signals her discoveries through enthusiastic tail wagging.
“When she picks up the scent and nears the birds, her tail starts wagging in an almost figure-eight pattern.”
The whio were discovered in an area with limited predator control, where they had not been spotted for several years.
“The surrounding areas have more intense predator control measures in place, and we know that whio reside there. We are thrilled to see the birds thriving, successfully breeding, and venturing into new territories that have been devoid of birds for years. It’s truly exciting to witness their expansion.”
Newton stated that the focus now is on enhancing trapping and control methods to ensure the continued prosperity of the whio population.
“Whio are highly susceptible to stoat predation… our strategy is to ramp up predator control efforts in that area.”
While Tui enjoys sniffing out all kinds of birds like most dogs, Newton emphasized the importance of keeping her attention on the rare ducks.
“She receives praise when she discovers a whio, but I disregard her attempts to sniff out other creatures. She is extremely dedicated to her job, well-trained, and experienced. She has been at it for over a decade, so she knows her target and remains steadfast in her pursuit.”
Despite the demanding nature of her work, Newton affirmed that Tui adores her job.
“She is a working dog by nature, which is why I acquired her… she simply thrives on working.”
