Plants and animals wilt in the heat

"When water gets really warm, aquatic life dies because it runs out of oxygen."

DOC senior biodiversity ranger Sue Moore

New Zealand’s native animals and plants are wilting during the hot summer, leaving wildlife rangers and park owners scrambling to help.

Although more wet weather is incoming, with Metservice issuing rain warnings from the upper North Island to the upper South Island in coming days, the ground is still especially dry across many parts of the country.

The heavens have opened over many parts of Manawatu¯ for the past two days, bringing thunder and heavy downpours yesterday afternoon, but the wider region is still in drought.

Department of Conservation senior biodiversity ranger Sue Moore said the country’s native meat-eating land snails, Powelliphanta, would do it tough in dry conditions.

The snails are found across the country, including near Horowhenua towns Shannon and Levin, as well as in the Ruahine Range.

‘‘When it’s really dry, they retreat up the back of their shells and are just hiding out.

‘‘But, people take them home thinking they are dead, wash the shells and a snail pops out.’’

People should not be taking the shells, though, as the snails have the same protection status as kiwi, Moore said.

‘‘Even the shells are protected, so you cannot take them home without a permit.’’

Native river fish would suffer from the heat, as warmer water had less oxygen in it.

‘‘When water gets really warm, aquatic life dies because it runs out of oxygen,’’ Moore said.

It would have to be especially dry for the whio, or blue duck, to suffer, she said.

Pukaha Mt Bruce conservation manager Todd Jenkinson said young seedlings in the bush had a hard time because their root systems were not well established.

The animals kept in enclosures, including tuatara and kiwi, were all right, as water could be piped to them.

But those in the wild would find it harder, Jenkinson said.

‘‘The kiwi struggle because the ground gets really hard, so they struggle to get their beak into the ground.

‘‘Insects will also go deeper, where there is more moisture.

‘‘The rain will be really good, because insects will be coming to the surface more.’’

Many native birds get most of their water from eating, so it was important for them to have access to food, Jenkinson said.

If it became especially dry, kiwi would break from their nocturnal habits and get out during the day to try to get enough food.

Water fowl would leave drying creeks to congregate at bigger bodies of water, such as the estuary at Foxton Beach, he said.

‘‘They will be looking for the ideal habitat – food, water and comfort.’’

The tuna, or longfin eels, at Pukaha Mt Bruce would be fine.

‘‘We never totally lose water, but it does get pretty low,’’ Jenkinson said.

Owlcatraz owner Janette Campbell said the bush at the Shannon native bird and wildlife park was ‘‘extremely dry’’.

‘‘One of our streams has totally dried up, but it doesn’t affect the service and tours we’re giving to the people here.’’

The star attractions at the park, a parliament of ruru, were able to cope well thanks to their enclosure.

‘‘We can make it rain,’’ Campbell said.

‘‘We have systems in place to make sure they are really well looked after.

‘‘The birds and animals are doing really well. They adapt to what is going on.’’