--- title: "Translocation of Fluttering Shearwaters to New Zealand's Mana Island" --- # Translocation of Fluttering Shearwaters to New Zealand's Mana Island The [Fluttering Shearwater *Puffinus gavia*](http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3941) is endemic to New Zealand and has recently been in the news because an unknown number were oiled by the *Rena* disaster, although at least 198 oiled corpses were found ([click here](https://acap.aq/latest-news/after-the-oliva-disaster-the-rena-is-wreckedoiled-albatrosses-and-shearwaters-in-new-zealand)). Helen Gummer and Lynn Adams report in a 2010 publication by New Zealand's [Department of Conservation](http://www.doc.govt.nz) that 225 Fluttering Shearwaterchicks were transferred from Long Island across the Cook Strait to the [Mana Island Scientific Reserve](http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-visit/wellington-kapiti/kapiti/mana-island-scientific-reserve/) during 2006-2008.  The project follows on from previous successful efforts to establish Common Diving Petrels *Pelecanoides urinatrix*and Fairy Prions *Pachyptila turtur*on the island in anattempt to restore an ecosystem influenced by burrow-nesting seabird activity.  At least 191 chicks (85%) were presumed to have fledged successfully in good enough condition to survive post-fledging.  The publication describes the selection of chicks, transfer methods and hand-feeding protocols; and presents emergent behaviour, fledging results and a summary of the success of the translocation. Translocation of chicks to former and to new breeding localities is increasingly becoming a valuable conservation option for burrow-nesting seabirds.  Less effort so far has been put into translocating chicks of surface-nesting procellariiform seabirds, such as those listed by ACAP.  However, pioneer efforts are being made in the North Pacific with albatrosses, notably with the Short-tailed Albatross *Phoebastria albatrus* with the on-going attempt to establish a new breeding colony on Japan's Mukojima Island ([click here](https://acap.aq/latest-news/translocation-and-hand-rearing-techniques-for-threatened-albatrosses)). It is interesting to speculate what other ACAP-listed species would benefit from translocation exercises to extinct or new breeding sites: for example Tristan Albatross *Diomedea dabbenena* back to Tristan da Cunha or the Spectacled Petrel *Procellaria conspicillata* to Amsterdam Island. Maybe one day... ![](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Petrels/S/Spectacled/spectacled_petrel_inaccessible_island_by_peter_ryan.jpg) Spectacled Petrel on Inaccessible Island: could it be reintroduced to Amsterdam Island? Photograph by Peter Ryan Visit the [Friends of Mana Island](http://www.manaisland.org.nz/) to learn more about restoration efforts on the island and [click here](http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/news/media-releases/rat-eats-poison-monitoring-continues-on-mana-island/) to read the good news that a recent rat sighting on the hitherto rat-free island has led to the animal taking poison bait and is thus considered to have died. **Selected References:** Deguchi, T., Jacobs, J., Harada, T., Perriman, L., Watanabe, Y., Sato, F., Nakamura, N., Ozaki, K. & Balogh, G. 2011.  Translocation and hand-rearing techniques for establishing a colony of threatened albatross.  *Bird Conservation International*. [doi: 10.1017/S0959270911000438](https://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=8458118&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0959270911000438). Gummer, H. 2003.  Chick translocation as a method of establishing new surface-nesting seabird colonies: a review.  [*DOC Science Internal Series* No. 150](http://www.conservation.co.nz/upload/documents/science-and-technical/dsis150.pdf).  Wellington: Department of Conservation. 40 pp. Gummer, H. & Adams, L. 2010.  [*Translocation Techniques for Fluttering Shearwaters (*Puffinus gavia*): Establishing a Colony on Mana Island, New Zealand*](http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/conservation/native-animals/birds/mana-island-fluttering-shearwater.pdf).  Wellington: Department of Conservation.  52 pp. Miskelly, C.M. 1999.  *[Mana Island Ecological Restoration Plan](http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/parks-and-recreation/places-to-visit/wellington/mana-island-restoration-plan.pdf)*.  Wellington: Department of Conservation.  149 pp. Miskelly, C.[M.] 2010.  *[Mana Island Ecological Restoration Plan Review](http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/conservation/land-and-freshwater/offshore-islands/mana-is-restoration-plan-review.pdf)*.  Wellington: Department of Conservation. 45 pp. Miskelly, C.M., Taylor, G.A., Gummer, H. & Williams, R. 2009.  Translocations of eight species of burrow-nesting seabirds (genera *Pterodroma*, *Pelecanoides*, *Pachyptila*and *Puffinus*: Family Procellariidae).  [*Biological Conservation*142: 1965-1980](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320709001657). *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 2 January 2012*