Abstract of Allan Kenneth MUNN, 2023
Item — Box: 19
Identifier: H03230002
Abstract
H0323
ALLAN KENNETH MUNN
Interviewer: Chrissy Wickes
Abstractor: April Milligan
Date of Interview: 3 March, 2017
Track 1
00:00 Interview Identification
00:41 ALLAN KENNETH MUNN born in 1961
01:37 KAKAPO discovered 1977 on RAKIURA , STEWART ISLAND - Involved from 1981 – working for NZ Wildlife Service from 1978 – flew in to RAKIURA with RON NILSSON – visit Catching Team – catching birds for LITTLE BARRIER – surprised by “jungle” and remoteness. MARGARET SHEPHARD (sp?) and TONY ROXBOROUGH camping – (“RICHARD HENRY” [BIRD] – on MAUDE ISLAND at that time but never saw him)
02:30 August 1983 part of cat trapping team lead by GARY ABURN (“Arab”) - REX PAIGE – 6 week trip. Became hooked on Kakapo – 22 years of age. While cat trapping found cat scat heading from SCULLIES FLAT towards MAORI BAY. Collected and examined cat scat to see what they had caught – found kakapo feather. Went to look for dead bird – found after 2 hours searching. It was a bird Arab had caught in 1981 – Solomon. “Kinda got me” need to be involved.
04.13 Working in WHANGAREI –with WAYNE GLENWORTH (sp?) – “good dog guy” – got into dogs. Working first at LITTLE BARRIER using a dog to track – the number of trips in late 70s to 90s catching birds at RAKIURA - caught most of the birds that went to WHENUA HOU – working with DAVE CROUTCHLEY – also with SANDRA KING – WYN GLENTWORTH (sp?). Importance of finding female birds – explains. Total of 86 birds caught – 28 female – many killed by cat predation before removed.
05.37 Didn’t realise the “cliff edge” kakapo were on. When 8 females went to TE HAUTURU (LITTLE BARRIER) in 1981 there were only 4 females left on the island. For decades in 50s/60s/70s – the birds were functionally extinct.
06:41 Research on KAKAPO “fractured” – so few to study and so remote. Wasn’t until around 1982-3 when RALPH POWLESLAND got involved that became more structured. ANDY GRANT involved. Split at time between research vs management (“studying things into extinction vs trying to save them through direct management”). Similar to Black Robin and Takahe. Fragmented and different departments. RALPH – BRIAN BELL – DON MERHTEN leading management side.
08:14 Trips in 1987, 1988 and 1989 catching birds – from RAKIURA to WHENUA HOU after possum and weka eradication. 29 birds transferred, including a number of females which became founding females. – DAVE CROUTCHLEY, CRAIG HODSON,-MURRAY WILLAMS mentioned.
10:21 Role of TRANSMITTERS – new technology – their worth debated, but they demonstrated the rate of predation.
11.00 Cat predation a learned behaviour. 30 birds on LONG RIDGE, with one cat killing five birds in a few days. PEGASUS mentioned. ANDY COX in charge of killing feral cats and 1080 work
12.43 In December 1987 with CAMERON BERRY, self found first female kakapo for years in a Rimu tree – others found to form a base at WHENUA HOU. Lists names of birds.
14.07 ISLAND SANCTUARY – debate on management – shift or leave in situ. Birds shifted because of presence of cats and rats – (DAN MERHTENS work 1964 with Saddleback / Chatham Island Black Robins)
TRACK 2
00.00 Birds shifted from FIORDLAND to MAUDE ISLAND (mentions bird names) – Skins studied around the world to try to ascertain what birds were female. All Fiordland males had been male.
01.02 MAUDE ISLAND not ideal habitat. When WHENUA HAU became predator free, this island became the prime site for kakapo breeding. PODOCARP RIMU fruiting on WHENUA HAU.
01.55 DEBATE in 1989 as to whether to leave males on the island to attract female birds. Male birds were removed, and new birds then recovered from island. Self longs for the days when birds can be re-released on RAKIURA. Self believes that kakapo had been LIBERATED on Rakiura in the past, rather than endemic possibly 400 birds at the height of population. Counted 128 INDIVIDUAL BOWLS at one stage. Kakapo may have been offloaded during a storm from the boat KEKENO on route from FIORDLAND to the DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.
04.30 Apart from some outliers, evidence for birds on the NORTH OF THE ISLAND is non-existent and no evidence of bones. No record from early miners and sailors.
05.52 Moving birds was a clear decision. Mentions SIR CHARLES FLEMING, CHAIR OF FIORDLAND PROTECTION ADVISORY COUNCIL and others.
07.11 Spent one year doing trips – studied aerial photos topography – identifying possible sites of birds – BILL BLACK – TREVOR GREEN helicopter pilots – Dropped off huts built by INVERCARGILL PRISON INMATES – landed on hut roof and stayed for a month – looking for KAKAPO signs – DOGS used.
08.57 Strong friendships – SANDRA KING, ARAB, WAYNE GLENTWORTH, DAVE CROUTCHLEY –
09.12 KAKAPO gets under people’s skin – emotionally involved. Highlight of self’s working life.
10.00 Describes kakapo LISA on LITTLE BARRIER ISLAND released 1981 and re-caught in 1986, and then rediscovered after DR MIKE IMBER years later found some down feathers. Self and others found Lisa sitting on three fertile female eggs, all females. Without help, kakapo would have been extinct.
End of Track Two
ALLAN KENNETH MUNN
Interviewer: Chrissy Wickes
Abstractor: April Milligan
Date of Interview: 3 March, 2017
Track 1
00:00 Interview Identification
00:41 ALLAN KENNETH MUNN born in 1961
01:37 KAKAPO discovered 1977 on RAKIURA , STEWART ISLAND - Involved from 1981 – working for NZ Wildlife Service from 1978 – flew in to RAKIURA with RON NILSSON – visit Catching Team – catching birds for LITTLE BARRIER – surprised by “jungle” and remoteness. MARGARET SHEPHARD (sp?) and TONY ROXBOROUGH camping – (“RICHARD HENRY” [BIRD] – on MAUDE ISLAND at that time but never saw him)
02:30 August 1983 part of cat trapping team lead by GARY ABURN (“Arab”) - REX PAIGE – 6 week trip. Became hooked on Kakapo – 22 years of age. While cat trapping found cat scat heading from SCULLIES FLAT towards MAORI BAY. Collected and examined cat scat to see what they had caught – found kakapo feather. Went to look for dead bird – found after 2 hours searching. It was a bird Arab had caught in 1981 – Solomon. “Kinda got me” need to be involved.
04.13 Working in WHANGAREI –with WAYNE GLENWORTH (sp?) – “good dog guy” – got into dogs. Working first at LITTLE BARRIER using a dog to track – the number of trips in late 70s to 90s catching birds at RAKIURA - caught most of the birds that went to WHENUA HOU – working with DAVE CROUTCHLEY – also with SANDRA KING – WYN GLENTWORTH (sp?). Importance of finding female birds – explains. Total of 86 birds caught – 28 female – many killed by cat predation before removed.
05.37 Didn’t realise the “cliff edge” kakapo were on. When 8 females went to TE HAUTURU (LITTLE BARRIER) in 1981 there were only 4 females left on the island. For decades in 50s/60s/70s – the birds were functionally extinct.
06:41 Research on KAKAPO “fractured” – so few to study and so remote. Wasn’t until around 1982-3 when RALPH POWLESLAND got involved that became more structured. ANDY GRANT involved. Split at time between research vs management (“studying things into extinction vs trying to save them through direct management”). Similar to Black Robin and Takahe. Fragmented and different departments. RALPH – BRIAN BELL – DON MERHTEN leading management side.
08:14 Trips in 1987, 1988 and 1989 catching birds – from RAKIURA to WHENUA HOU after possum and weka eradication. 29 birds transferred, including a number of females which became founding females. – DAVE CROUTCHLEY, CRAIG HODSON,-MURRAY WILLAMS mentioned.
10:21 Role of TRANSMITTERS – new technology – their worth debated, but they demonstrated the rate of predation.
11.00 Cat predation a learned behaviour. 30 birds on LONG RIDGE, with one cat killing five birds in a few days. PEGASUS mentioned. ANDY COX in charge of killing feral cats and 1080 work
12.43 In December 1987 with CAMERON BERRY, self found first female kakapo for years in a Rimu tree – others found to form a base at WHENUA HOU. Lists names of birds.
14.07 ISLAND SANCTUARY – debate on management – shift or leave in situ. Birds shifted because of presence of cats and rats – (DAN MERHTENS work 1964 with Saddleback / Chatham Island Black Robins)
TRACK 2
00.00 Birds shifted from FIORDLAND to MAUDE ISLAND (mentions bird names) – Skins studied around the world to try to ascertain what birds were female. All Fiordland males had been male.
01.02 MAUDE ISLAND not ideal habitat. When WHENUA HAU became predator free, this island became the prime site for kakapo breeding. PODOCARP RIMU fruiting on WHENUA HAU.
01.55 DEBATE in 1989 as to whether to leave males on the island to attract female birds. Male birds were removed, and new birds then recovered from island. Self longs for the days when birds can be re-released on RAKIURA. Self believes that kakapo had been LIBERATED on Rakiura in the past, rather than endemic possibly 400 birds at the height of population. Counted 128 INDIVIDUAL BOWLS at one stage. Kakapo may have been offloaded during a storm from the boat KEKENO on route from FIORDLAND to the DUNEDIN EXHIBITION.
04.30 Apart from some outliers, evidence for birds on the NORTH OF THE ISLAND is non-existent and no evidence of bones. No record from early miners and sailors.
05.52 Moving birds was a clear decision. Mentions SIR CHARLES FLEMING, CHAIR OF FIORDLAND PROTECTION ADVISORY COUNCIL and others.
07.11 Spent one year doing trips – studied aerial photos topography – identifying possible sites of birds – BILL BLACK – TREVOR GREEN helicopter pilots – Dropped off huts built by INVERCARGILL PRISON INMATES – landed on hut roof and stayed for a month – looking for KAKAPO signs – DOGS used.
08.57 Strong friendships – SANDRA KING, ARAB, WAYNE GLENTWORTH, DAVE CROUTCHLEY –
09.12 KAKAPO gets under people’s skin – emotionally involved. Highlight of self’s working life.
10.00 Describes kakapo LISA on LITTLE BARRIER ISLAND released 1981 and re-caught in 1986, and then rediscovered after DR MIKE IMBER years later found some down feathers. Self and others found Lisa sitting on three fertile female eggs, all females. Without help, kakapo would have been extinct.
End of Track Two
Dates
- 2023
Conditions Governing Access
For access please contact the Southland Oral History Project Coordinator at sohp@ilibrary.co.nz.
Conditions Governing Use
The contents of Southland Oral History Project collections are subject to the conditions of the Copyright Act 1994. Please note that in accordance with agreements held with interviewees additional conditions regarding the reproduction [copying] and use of items in the Southland Oral History Project collections may apply. Please contact the Southland Oral History Project Coordinator for further information at sohp@ilibrary.co.nz.
Extent
From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)
Language of Materials
From the Record Group: English
Creator
- From the Record Group: Wickes, Chrissy (Interviewer, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository
