Three mallard ducks have been euthanised after being caught in the “graphic” act of preying, hunting and eating alive newly-hatched native pūteketeke chicks.

DOC Principal Biodiversity ranger Dean Nelson said mallard ducks usually eat plant material with insects and snails. It was unusual for ducks to prey on other birds. “It was shocking to see them eating pūteketeke chicks,” Nelson said.

“We went out there straight away and I observed three mallard ducks in the outlet creek where the grebe nests are. They were actively scoping out the pūteketeke nests to see if they had chicks.

“The adult pūteketeke didn’t see the danger as they don’t perceive the ducks as a threat.” This duck behaviour was unknown to DOC experts, and there was a concern that it would spread, as ducks learnt from each other, Nelson said.

Nelson said the member of the public did exactly the right thing in calling DOC about the incident and taking photos as evidence, otherwise he says it would’ve been hard to believe. Read more from Stuff.

Predator Free South Westland nears eradication goal

It sounds like an impossible task – eradicating all stoats, rats and possums from more than 110,000 hectares of South Westland and keeping them out. But that’s the aim for Predator Free South Westland, a collaborative project with these three pests in its crosshairs.

Its ambitious goal, and it could provide a template on how to approach large pest removal projects in Aotearoa. The project area stretches from the Tasman Sea to the crest of the Southern Alps and is bounded by the Whataroa and Waiau rivers.

The project began in the Perth Valley in 2018. After that, the project area was divided into large distinct blocks of land to tackle one by one. Now it is down to the last section – around 10,000 hectares of farmland around Whataroa – which it aims to complete this year.

While rats, stoats and possums are not the only introduced pest mammals in the project area, getting rid of those targeted three is leading to positive changes. Those working on the project for several years, as well as local eco-tourism operators, are reporting increases in both bird and plant life. Read more from RNZ.

Parents use walking to stay connected to adult children

The exodus of grown children leaving home mostly happens without fanfare. For Lisa Walker, hiking the Camino right after her last son left the nest turned into both a goodbye and a glimpse at the future.

Her family had always been walkers. From a young age, summer holidays meant hiking and winter meant ski touring. But walking the Camino was the transition from parents and children to a group of four adults.

For the last decade, they have kept up their walking together as a way to stay connected and to navigate the evolution of their family dynamic.

These walks give them unbroken, shared time in a world of fragmented attention. Phones drop out of service. Conversations unfold slowly. They learn who each other has become.

Lisa says, “We are four people who have walked a long way together and now mostly walk apart. But a few times a year, we shoulder our packs, step on to a trail and remember how to move forward in the same direction.”

Read Lisa’s full opinion piece at The Guardian.

Rat-free forest offers rare boost for kōkako north of Rotorua

An iwi-led conservation project in the Kaimai Mamaku Forest has recorded zero rat activity across more than 700ha of native bush. The result is wide-reaching in its benefits for native wildlife, in particular, the chances of a successful North Island kōkako breeding season.

Iwi-led conservation project Te Wao Nui o Tapuika has now achieved 0% rat tracking in an area of woodland between Ōtanewainuku, in the Western Bay of Plenty, and Kaharoa, north of Rotorua, following a two-month predator control operation in November 2025. “Zero per cent is what everybody aims for, and you don’t get it very often,” Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust chief executive Louise Saunders said.

The trust acts as the coordinating entity for the Kaimai Mamaku Restoration Project, which brings together eight iwi and hapū groups across the central North Island to help conservation efforts in the forest. “For kōkako breeding, rats have to be under about 5% [detection in rat tracking] before the season starts.Read more from the Rotorua Daily Post.

Visit five US national parks only reached by sea or sky

For adventurous travellers hoping to escape the masses, venture to one of the few US national parks only accessible by boat or seaplane. From sun-soaked islands in the Caribbean to a vast tundra landscape located above the Arctic Circle, the BBC has featured five US national parks that road-trippers can’t reach.

Channel Islands National Park, California

Often called “the Galapagos Islands of North America”, Channel Islands National Park is made up of five volcanic islands located 35 to 100km off the southern California coast and is home to dramatic peaks, coves and hiking trails.

Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve, Alaska

Located north of the Arctic Circle, Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve is the US’ northernmost national park. There are no roads, trails or campsites here, and the only way to experience it is via air taxi or by hiking in.

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Set 100km west of Key West in the Caribbean Sea, Dry Tortugas National Park is home to the third-largest barrier reef in the world, so it’s no surprise that these seven small islands are renowned for their snorkelling and diving.

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

This remote archipelago of more than 450 islands in Lake Superior is only open to the public from mid-April through October. Designated as a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, this forested wilderness invites travellers to hike through forests, scuba dive to shipwrecks, fish, canoe or kayak.

Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska

Katmai National Park & Preserve is an expansive wilderness of rivers, streams and the scarred Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, where the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th Century occurred. The main draw is the roughly 2,200 brown bears that live here.