Our current projects focus on the Makarora/Makarore and Wilkin/Ōtānenui Catchment from “Ridge to River” (Part of Tititea Mt Aspiring National Park), its diverse habitats and the threatened species it supports (Makarora Catchment Threatened Species Plan).
The Makarora Catchment and its associated tributaries (Rivers the Wilkin, Blue and Young) encompass a plethora of threatened species of conservation concern within a diverse assemblage of important habitats unique to Aotearoa New Zealand.
The habitats and species associations within this environment include; braided river as essential breeding sites for endemic wrybill, black-billed gull, black-fronted tern and banded dotterel. Below, is the first 2017/2018 wrybill fledgling (a vulnerable threatened species endemic to New Zealand which is dependant on braided river habitat to complete its life cycle) identified from ABT’s braided river bird monitoring programme for Makarora River (Dec 2017).
The pristine rivers of the Wilkin, Siberia, Blue, and the Young for whio/blue duck. The alpine habitat of the Southern Alps/ Kā Tiritiri o te Moana as core territory for rock wren and kea. The diverse beech/podocarp forest for kākā, mohua and long-tailed bat.
These species need our help and the help of future generations!
“Biodiversity and ecosystems – NATURE – is the infrastructure that supports life on planet earth.“
― Dr Cristiana Pasca Palmer UN Convention on Biological Diversity (2018)
ABT’s threat management/ invasive predator control programs and species monitoring are focused on locations of identified remnant threatened species populations and collectively extends into connecting habitats. Visit target threatened species pages for more details.
River Story Awards Finalist 2021
All text and images by Aspiring Biodiversity Trust unless specified. ABT ©
