Tour explores the life of longfin tuna
‘‘One of our goals is to get more Kiwis into wetlands and the self-drive tour is a good way to achieve that.’’
Don Scarlet
National Wetlands Trust Chairman
A mystery tour exploring the habitats of a freshwater apex predator will hopefully raise awareness of the role wetlands play in their survival.
The National Wetland Trust has planned a self-drive tour to several Waipa¯ locations, for people to discover more about the rare longfin eel.
The tour, on Auckland Anniversary Day, February 1, is a joint effort between the trust, Nga¯ti Apakura, Department of Conservation and the Waipa¯ District Council. It will start at Nga¯ Roto Domain, Bank St, from 10am. Participants can register there and pick up a map and a quiz with clues to solve along the way.
The 30-kilometre drive, on sealed roads, includes several stops with short, easy walks.
The trust said the ‘‘Tuna Hikoi’’, or ‘‘Eel Journey’’ will help families explore the district, learn about native eels and their habitats, and compete for prizes.
The tuna hold special significance for Nga¯ ti Apakura, as kuia Hazel Wander explained. ‘‘Apakura himself was a tohunga of the tuna, and so tuna are part of our identity. The wetlands are crucial for the survival of the tuna. When the tuna are healthy, we know the water is healthy, and that’s a good environmental indicator for us to look for.’’
There are two species of eel, longfin and shortfin. The Department of Conservation defined longfin eels as ‘‘at risk, declining’’. The species was one of the largest eels in the world and was found only in the wetlands, rivers and lakes of New Zealand.
There were fewer eels today because of the loss of wetlands and historical commercial fishing practice. The commercial eel fishery was now managed by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
National Wetlands Trust Chairman Don Scarlet said eels and wetlands were ‘‘intimately connected’’ with each other.
‘‘Eels like living in hard to reach places, quiet places such as in wetlands. They are interesting, quirky and a fun way to engage with people. One of our goals is to get more Kiwis into wetlands and the self-drive tour is a good way to achieve that.’’
The tour also aims to celebrate World Wetlands Day, held every February to mark the 1971 adoption of the International Convention on Wetlands and to raise awareness of the unique ecosystems.
‘‘The trust tries to promote World Wetlands Day around New Zealand and we try to have an event in the Waikato each year, to support it.’’
The theme for World Wetlands Day was ‘‘Wetlands and water’’, and shines a spotlight on wetlands as a source of freshwater and encourages actions to restore them and stop their loss.
Final registration for the trust’s self-drive tour was at 12.30pm. The trust said to allow plenty of time to complete the route and return to Nga¯ Roto for prizegiving at 3pm.
‘‘Participants are advised to bring snacks and drinking water for the journey.’’
For more information visit World Wetlands Day.