Image of the January 2013 Wilderness Magazine Cover Read more from the
 January 2013 Issue
Home / Articles / Big picture

Hearing whio

Blue Duck on Edwards River, Arthur's Pass National Park. Photo: Fraser Crichton

5 January 20135 Jan '13

The most famous endurance race in New Zealand, the 243km Speight’s Coast to Coast, traverses from Kumara Beach on the West Coast to Sumner on the east. The highest point on the course is the 33km mountain run over Goat Pass not far from Arthur’s Pass township. Competitors don’t stop to admire the native wildlife, but they do contribute to its recovery.

Since 2005, race director Robin Judkins has contributed to the Blue Duck (whio) Recovery Programme in response to concerns over the environmental impact of the race.

Possum hunter Sam McLeod, himself a former endurance athlete, is employed by the programme to maintain a network of more than 200 stoat and rat traps in the Mingha, Deception and Edwards valleys.

Intensive trapping has meant the whio population in the area has increased from just three to 30. Stoat trapping in particular has benefited not just whio but also great spotted kiwi and falcon.

Endurance athletes might not have time to stop, but they can now hear the whistle of whio as they race from west to east.

– Fraser Crichton

Support Wilderness

Since 1991, Wilderness has had one simple goal: to help Kiwis ‘See more, do more, live more’ of New Zealand.

If you value our mission, please consider subscribing. As a loyal supporter, you’ll receive these benefits:

  • New Zealand’s best outdoor journalism We’ve won multiple awards for our journalism and magazine production.
  • NZ’s best trips. Browse more than 610 trips with downloadable maps and route notes.
  • Trustworthy gear reviews. Each month we review gear we’ve been bashing and thrashing for months so you can determine if its worth your money.
  • Web exclusives. Each week we publish stories you won’t find in the magazine. View our latest web exclusives.
  • Member benefits. Our WildCard provides discounts at more than 20 partners throughout New Zealand.
  • Your support goes a long way. Your subscription will help us fund NZ’s best outdoor journalists and writers and ensure Wilderness will be there to inspire the next generation of outdoor Kiwis.

A subscription costs as little as $7.00/month for instant access to all articles, trips, gear reviews and gear guides.

View all our subscription options and join the club.

Already a subscriber? Login Now.