2007 12/14 Kiwi Spotting on Ulva Island

The weather again is playing tricks on us. Which is sometimes the case in the islands, we are after all in the rainforest - what else did we expect.

The clouds managed to part long enough for us to take a walking tour of Ulva Island. Ulva Island is a World Heritage listed island, one of many islands in the Rakiura national Park. It is a sanctuary for native plants and birds. The Department of Conservation has very strict rules you must follow to visit and you must check your shoes for dirt and seeds, and backpacks too for mice and rats.

New Zealand is trying to protect its flightless birds that fall prey to rats and the like. Because these predatory animals were all introduced to the area by European settlers, the flightless birds are easy prey. They nest close to the ground and the rats eat the eggs of the nesting birds. The Conservation Department checks bait stations each day to make sure the birds and plants are protected. No introduced species are allowed on the island - no cats, no dogs, no mice, snakes, no non-native animals!

We weren't luck enough to see any Kiwis in the wild - but we did see several other rare species that are rebounding from near extinction.