Zoo staff hunt for puweto: west Auckland
Auckland Zoo staff have joined Matuku Link colleagues to scour for the elusive puweto.
Puweto, or the small dark coloured rails, live in freshwater wetlands scattered throughout the country, with their largest populations in the North Island.
The Matuku Link is a 37 hectare native forest block in west Auckland's Bethell's Valley.
The reserve connects many protected areas including Ark in the Park, Habitat Te Henga, Forrest Ridge and Matuku Reserve.
Staff from the zoo and Matuku Link joined volunteers to search for the birds in Bethells wetlands.
The presence of small dark coloured rails in a particular wetland signals the overall health of the ecosystem.
But more than 90 per cent of New Zealand's wetland areas have been drained and cleared for agriculture which has yielded a major impact on all species.
Puweto need vegetation such as raupo and kuta in which to forage and nest.
Surveyors used a recorded sound of the birds' calls to aid monitoring.
They saw two puweto and netted 13 call responses at 38 listening posts.
Photo: John Sumich
Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”
We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?
Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.
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42.4% Yes
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31.6% Maybe?
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26% No
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
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