Protecting the Matuku-Hūrepo: A Community-Led Initiative in the Hauraki Coromandel Region

A focal point of Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel Community Trust (PFHCCT) efforts is the conservation of the matuku-hūrepo, or Australasian bittern, a nationally critical species native to New Zealand. Despite their cryptic nature and habitat challenges, matuku face numerous threats, primarily habitat loss, and predation by introduced mammals. To address these challenges, PFHCCT initiated a region-wide matuku survey with the objectives of determining population distribution, identifying potential breeding sites, and raising awareness about the species.

While wetland conservation efforts in the Hauraki-Coromandel region have primarily focused on forests, community groups have been actively engaged in protecting wetland biodiversity through predator control and habitat restoration. The success of these efforts in forest conservation has inspired similar initiatives for wetlands.

The region-wide matuku survey, driven by local volunteer enthusiasm, seeks to fill crucial knowledge gaps about this elusive bird's population and breeding habits. By conducting simultaneous surveys across various sites and establishing a baseline for annual tracking, the initiative aims to provide valuable data for conservation planning and increase public awareness about the importance of protecting the matuku-hūrepo.