Ōi Season 2024 Wrap-Up
A Year of Highs, Lows, and Big Wins
What a season it’s been! This year, we’re celebrating a record-breaking ōi breeding season, with 18 chicks poised to take their maiden flight out to the Tasman Sea. Seven of these fluffy adventurers have already fledged, with the remaining 11 expected to go before Christmas. After a tough season last year, which saw just seven chicks fledge, it’s hugely encouraging to hit double digits this year.
And it hasn’t been without its challenges. Early in the season, we captured devastating footage of a stoat pulling a chick from its burrow, and later, a roaming dog killed two adult ōi at the beach. These losses hit hard. Ōi are slow breeders, often not returning to land to reproduce until they’re about seven years old and producing just one chick each year after that. The death of two breeding adults in such a fragile colony was particularly gutting.
Other curveballs included pigs collapsing burrows, feral cats prowling the area, and several adult birds washing up on Ruapuke and Ngarunui beaches. Post-mortem results suggested starvation was the likely cause of death. Yet, despite these setbacks, the season also brought its share of incredible moments.
The Highs of the Season
Top of the list? The discovery of ten new kororā (little penguin) burrows scattered along the coast from the south end of the beach to Manu Bay. This exciting find came courtesy of Miro, a seabird detection dog, who also sniffed out several new ōi burrows. After a break last year, having a seabird dog back in action was a huge boost – and the unexpected number of kororā burrows was the cherry on top.
After ten years of predator control, we’re starting to see the slow but steady growth of the breeding colony. When the Karioi Project began, we monitored just four or five burrows. Fast forward to 2024, and that number has climbed to over 60 actively monitored burrows! This progress is a testament to the dedication of our volunteer “Burrow Buddies” and their consistent weekly efforts to check traps, monitor burrows, and keep the ōi safe.
Behind the Scenes with Burrow Buddies
Our Burrow Buddies have been crucial to this season’s success. From initially knowing little about the birds, they’ve become seasoned experts, spotting tell-tale signs of activity and reviewing hours of trail camera footage. This year, they also saw a few chicks get banded, getting an up-close look at the little fluff balls they’ve worked so hard to protect. It’s been fantastic to see their enthusiasm grow alongside their knowledge.
For our seabird rangers, the Burrow Buddies’ support has been invaluable, freeing up time to focus on monitoring fragile environments and deploying targeted pest control measures. Together, this small but passionate team has made a huge difference.
How You Can Help
Want to get involved? We’re always looking for more hands on deck for burrow monitoring. If scrambling through coastal bush and keeping tabs on our seabird friends sounds like your kind of thing, we’d love to hear from you.
Don’t have the time to volunteer? You can still help! If you’re a pet owner, simply keeping your dog on a lead on the south end of the beach (including the track from Earle’s Place) is a massive help. Not keen on the lead? Then please head north from the main track instead.
Looking Ahead
We’re already planning for next season, starting with updates to our permits to formally include monitoring of the kororā population along the coast. This year’s 18 fledging ōi chicks are a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. It’s been a season of challenges, achievements, and valuable lessons – and we’re more determined than ever to keep protecting and nurturing our seabird populations!
Here’s to more wins for the ōi and kororā in 2025!
