Conservation dogs Pip and Ash have secured their re-certification by helping Whanganui rangers locate endangered whio/blue duck in the Retaruke River.
At three and a half years old, Pip is no stranger to days detecting ducks in cold rivers, but regular re-certification helps ensure she's at the top of her game and the birds remain safe in her presence.
Pip's handler Joe Carson, a Department of Conservation Ranger based in Taranaki, says Pip passed with flying colours.
"We had some pretty chilly conditions, but she's a tough girl, and completely focused when she's on the job."
While Pip and Ash have their own furry insulation, the human part of the team sported wetsuits for the mid-winter survey.
"There were a few times we had to float through gorges in tyre tubes! It's the first time I've had that experience in my time as a whio ranger," says Joe.
Whio are a species of duck found nowhere else in the world, with less than 3000 remaining across Aotearoa New Zealand. The Retaruke River is part of a whio security site - one of seven across the country where major threats to whio survival are managed intensively with support from Genesis.
DOC Programme Lead Jane Taylor says there's real community momentum to protecting whio in the area.
"It's part of the wider kaupapa of the Kia Whārite Biodiversity Project, a long-standing, multi-agency, landscape-scale biodiversity protection programme centred around Whanganui National Park.
"Everyone is on board – iwi, councils, land managers, you name it, and it's really showing results for whio."
Mid-winter is an unusual time to survey for whio, as they're often hiding away from the main river, but the conservation dogs still detected enough individuals to demonstrate their skills and achieve their certifications. Earlier surveys during warmer months indicated it had been a good breeding season.
Jane says we can expect to see more whio out and about as spring approaches.
"Keep an eye out for whio when you're out naturing on or around fast flowing rivers and streams. They're a symbol of healthy waterways and an icon of our backcountry."
Conservation dogs Ash and Pip were re-certified under DOC's Conservation Dogs Programme. Air New Zealand is the national partner for this world class programme and their investment helps DOC offer mentoring, training, and certification to dog handler-teams around New Zealand.
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