NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 25, 29 July 1933, Page 9

NATURE NOTES

OUR DISAPPEAEINa"

DUCKS

MMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED

(By E. H.p. Stidolph, R. A-O'.tf.) || According to; many sportsmen, apdki are becoming increasingly • .scarjjej Wifd. there is now a proposal' going forwfjjjr for a close season to' tie"declared, oteri; the whole of the North-Island." Coin^ir dent 'with the' advance of settlement [iri this country, which entails the draining of more and more areas of swanrp lands^ ducks must suffer. As a case in poiutj the scheme to drain Lake Ellesinere; near Christchurch, may be mentioned. This sheet of water is >. favofliit9 ; rendezvous of large numbers'of ducEsj and other water birds, and .if t&is areiij is reclaimed it means that these birds will have to seek new quarters. vTha compulsory migration of the birdy, "however, is,the least serious aspect ($£ tty* question. Lake KEllesmere -is. a soiirl6«' of food supply, and with its disappears, ance it stands to reason' that ;th'e bird* must,decrease in numbers. Many'&reas of swamp and lake in this country ap-,; pear to be sadly deficient in foodVsupV plies for water birds, as in other of the world comparatively^ Sniairjakes or. even ponds:,support ; ..maiiy; ,|>irdsy Trhereas: similar waters in;NeTC.-2ealaTld are "devoid of bird "lif e.^.'Tlnless: actiytf: steps are taken to remedy; this deficiency it is only a matter of'time'before thick*': generally will become decidedly Scarcei' Already one native species is "almost extinct and others are absent from, extensive areas. 'Yet immediately ments are. made' about the (tecf 6ase in ducks sportsmen at once think of introducing alien species, in the-hope that they will become established aiid later provide sport. It is not much use importing ducks unless it is first determined that there is adequite food for their sustenance, and, moreover, little or nothing appears to be done to tonservo oiir native species^ which should be ample to meet sporting requirements; under a scheme of efficient protection; conservation.

The folly of our present means' of protecting ducks is apparent when ifcit realised that there is probably not onl really efficient sanctuary for watery fowl in the length and breadth of New Zealand. A sanctuary is not to be re* garded as merely a place of refuge dur? ing the shooting season, but 'as an area which provides adequate food and ample cover for breeding purposes, at the same time", of course, being beyond the reach of the sportsman's gun. As ha* been pointed out in this column on previous occasions, the-sanctuaries that do exist, although they are certainly, safe havens in the shooting season, ar«y almost without exception, becoming more deficient in food supplies every, year.' The: writer has in mind one such area near Wairarapa Lake. A certai» portion along, the shore formerly pro* vided splendid cover and food for ducks; but in a period of a few years this haa been almost completely destroyed bjr cattle. It is well known that cattla have free access to all: lakes and lagoons, including areas classed as sane* tuaries, and the destruction wrought to the vegetation hear the water's edge;is manifest even to 'the most unobservant. The detrimental effect to bird life seemi to be more or less overlooked, yet the fact remains that ducks and '■■'' other waterfowl,must' suffer in consequence. There is bo question as to the scopa in this country to largely increase thfl number of ducks without introducing further species, the establishment ~pi which is doubtful the broadest view. An Increase, however, can 'only be brought about by .the provision of care-fully-protected -■■• -foodrbearing ■ areas, from which all stock is excluded,-:H sanctuaries, of this ; type were, established In different districts -throughout JVew Zealand there is no'reason - why jo should not be.able to,'aave^ our due>s, but unless something of this nature^is nridertaken it appearß^be,^. foregone conclusion ,that their .numbers will become less and less.' ) ;;;> J ; ■;■; .;

Under our very eyes one species ef native duck is rapidly becoming extinct the brown duck, sometimes called iby. sportsmen, the red teal. Thirty year* «co it was still found in the rapa Lake district, but it is now many, years since one has .been seen. Io'r« <merly, it thrived- in the Manawatu, taut there, too, it appears/to have almost if not quite disappeared. The late Sir Walter Buller related an interesting case in which the Maoris took, proceedings for.damages, following the destruction of the' kah'ikatea swamps of tha Manawatu,. the home of the brown duck. In 1871-72, he , stated in his account of the occurrence, the railway, line was being constructed from Foxton to Palmerston North, right through ono of these kaiiikatca swamps. The Maoris, who had enjoyed a monopoly^! the ducks 1 snares in this paiticuiar area for many years, made a £™ nc° of their interference, stating that they had practically lost their vocation, and claimed a large sum for what was technically termed "damage by severance. ' The Eoyal Commissioner who investigated their representations awarded the whole amount asked for, with costs. All reports concerning the brown ducK in recent years have been ones recordine further decreases in its numbers, or stating1 that'th'c bird has disappeared. Another duck which seems to be becoining considerably-scarcer is th« black teal or widgeon, as it is sometimes erroneously called.. Years ago the black teal was well "presented in the Wairarapa and Manawatu districts, but it is now seldom seen, and is on£ to be found in numbers in sanctuaries m other part* of the North Island .It « not, however, so rare as the brown duck. The position of the latter species a> pears to be alm? st.dcsl)^ C-- ca V'airo. jrot£w without making some deferminca fffort to save it from such a regrettabla fate! ' ■*

The portion emphasises the need- of a complete 'investigation on the right lines.'W that' any action^ taken will ensure -of *"*<£- fowl, with due.consideration to the demands of sportsmen^ Every year tj| problem is booming more difficult, and Snless immediate steps are taken sportsmen may find themselves with few birds to shoot. The draining of Wairarapa Lake will probably bo an accomplished fact in the not distan. future; and a further large decrease m the numbers of ducks and swans is in' evitable, unless adequate food can b» provided in other directions. The ona fact stands clear, however, that it is almost useless to make any attempt improve the food supply if cattle are to be allowed, free access to the shores Oi. our sanctuaries. These require to bo inviolate by both man and beast, it efficient results are to be attained.