RSS feed to media releases from the Department of Conservation website.bf9607b8-c7af-4dee-8fb7-62af9f9cf727New Zealand Department of Conservation2026-07-27T08:38:25+12:00b33b6c4b-c72d-4ad1-9528-18b4b40529c3

DOC will explore alternatives to the removal of the Hahei Short Walk as part of ongoing discussions with a local community group.

2026-07-24T00:00:00+12:002026-07-24T00:00:00+12:00862587e6-0188-4b18-b32b-b66fe54d4a4a

The eagerly anticipated new suspension bridge up the Hooker Valley at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park will open to the public on the afternoon of Tuesday July 28.

2026-07-22T00:00:00+12:002026-07-22T00:00:00+12:007bce70da-d620-4603-8172-58c71177db3d

Alan Saunders was a 9-year-old boy with the Hamilton Junior Naturalists Club when he first heard the haunting call of the kōkako.

2026-07-21T00:00:00+12:002026-07-21T00:00:00+12:00c154528d-2557-4b96-a62b-c823fde3f4ee

Close to 70 tonnes of concrete has been poured ready to hold a new suspension bridge in place on the lower Tongariro River in Tūrangi.

2026-07-21T00:00:00+12:002026-07-21T00:00:00+12:00e00292a8-472f-45b0-996a-c8268be619af

With the second case of H5 bird flu confirmed in a kāhu / harrier hawk in the Wairarapa yesterday, DOC has moved the region to a higher alert status.

2026-07-18T09:00:00+12:002026-07-18T09:00:00+12:001e2ef9c4-3138-4c54-8359-5d9ed47b95b7

Work on the ground will step up after confirmation today a single Kāhu, swamp harrier hawk, which was found in the Wairarapa, is the second bird in New Zealand confirmed to have H5 bird flu, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.

2026-07-17T16:00:00+12:002026-07-17T16:00:00+12:00a19a6fdd-afbb-4266-9a77-232fed21828f

DOC has plans in place and is closely monitoring the situation following the detection of H5 bird flu in a single migratory brown skua yesterday.

2026-07-16T00:00:00+12:002026-07-16T00:00:00+12:008eb7ba6c-3264-44e6-9111-f884a0dc46b0

DOC Manawatū rangers are thinking outside the box when it comes to removing invasive plants from the wetlands of Horowhenua.

2026-07-15T11:00:00+12:002026-07-15T11:00:00+12:00b0d1732a-c536-42a4-98a1-3a79467f80ae

New Zealand’s valued sika deer in the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks have been designated as the North Island’s first ever Herd of Special Interest (HOSI).

2026-07-15T00:00:00+12:002026-07-15T00:00:00+12:00b0053630-9085-4d52-91d2-998fea680269

A key road leading into Kahurangi National Park has reopened earlier than expected, after significant repairs were completed ahead of schedule.

2026-07-15T00:00:00+12:002026-07-15T00:00:00+12:00fda98622-b033-4112-a099-64c31ae0779d

Conservation dogs Pip and Ash have secured their re-certification by helping Whanganui rangers locate endangered whio/blue duck in the Retaruke River.

2026-07-14T00:00:00+12:002026-07-14T00:00:00+12:00e1896177-1e8c-4de2-ac50-c1b4672918e7

Hunters took to the bush last weekend on Aotea/Great Barrier Island to compete in a two-day pig hunting competition.

2026-07-13T00:00:00+12:002026-07-13T00:00:00+12:00ced9baa7-fc84-4569-aff8-4e370c26dab2

DOC has completed the sale of Waikaremoana Holiday Park to Tūhoe iwi authority Te Uru Taumatua, ensuring the facility continues to thrive as a much-loved part of Te Urewera.

2026-07-13T00:00:00+12:002026-07-13T00:00:00+12:0045a3d33f-1295-497d-b9e4-966c8d687c6e

Before you clear every fallen leaf, trim every branch, and tidy every corner of your garden this winter, DOC has a message; leave a little mess behind, and nature will thank you.

2026-07-13T00:00:00+12:002026-07-13T00:00:00+12:00af331b57-5444-4793-9032-44390c24998f

Hunter-led conservation has reached a new milestone, with Fiordland wapiti deer formally designated as New Zealand’s first Herd of Special Interest (HOSI).

2026-07-13T00:00:00+12:002026-07-13T00:00:00+12:00fcfb98e7-8945-4dfa-99ca-e45350ce22a8

When Hamish Reid told DOC rangers he’d seen five mohua/yellowheads up the Poulter valley in Arthur’s Pass, they were very surprised and very excited.

2026-07-08T00:00:00+12:002026-07-08T00:00:00+12:008d0fa4d9-023d-4ec5-8f7b-2f8281b78474

Four days of hard work by a team of DOC staff has resulted in an important track surface upgrade, protecting kauri on the western side of Mt Karioi near Raglan.

2026-07-08T00:00:00+12:002026-07-08T00:00:00+12:00dfc2350e-d9eb-4a2a-904e-f429fc040d60

Glowing feedback from visitors is ensuring DOC’s Timber Trail Project Lead Jessie Sinnamon knows she’s on the right track in her busy role.

2026-07-06T13:00:00+12:002026-07-06T13:00:00+12:006b3c1254-7a75-478d-81c9-24b5b18d1bed

At a loss trying to find entertaining, but wholesome and outdoorsy activities for the kids this school holiday? Amateur birding could be the way to go.

2026-07-03T12:00:00+12:002026-07-03T12:00:00+12:003fe2f33d-7688-4819-a420-a8bc162ec061

Looking for some ideas for the school holidays and Matariki? Or do you feel like you need a little mental reset or ‘me time’?

2026-07-03T11:00:00+12:002026-07-03T11:00:00+12:007ca5b7d2-95ac-425e-afa1-ccc145930547

A change has been made to the rules which regulate our interactions with marine mammals in Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary.

2026-07-03T09:00:00+12:002026-07-03T09:00:00+12:00e9c9a686-01a0-4e89-9e69-45674de0d369

DOC will continue with paid parking at three sites in the South Island raising much needed revenue to better protect nature.

2026-07-02T12:00:00+12:002026-07-02T12:00:00+12:009f3f741a-779f-4389-ac29-0c32512d2893

DOC is set to begin vaccinating some of New Zealand’s most threatened bird species to protect them against the highly virulent strain of H5N1 bird flu, in case it arrives here.

2026-07-02T11:00:00+12:002026-07-02T11:00:00+12:006234a5a2-429e-4c62-b6ef-23702699d2e1

As Kiwis head off on their mid-winter getaways, DOC has revealed more than four tonnes of protected corals and shells have been seized in the last few years.

2026-07-01T12:00:00+12:002026-07-01T12:00:00+12:003e8edcaa-94c3-465a-844a-8ce3ee405048

With winter upon us, DOC is launching a new campaign encouraging people to get outside and boost their mental well-being.

2026-07-01T00:00:00+12:002026-07-01T00:00:00+12:00419f0853-9d44-412d-901f-53042e372a18

A businessman ordered to pay $7200 in reparation for cutting down protected native trees near Kaiteriteri without permission can now be named.

2026-06-30T00:00:00+12:002026-06-30T00:00:00+12:00a9836ec3-9102-4804-a51a-1589fab71821

We’re lobster potting for data - not dinner. That’s the message from DOC and its partners as they embark on lobster surveys in marine protection areas around the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana.

2026-06-29T00:00:00+12:002026-06-29T00:00:00+12:00632d3d30-fd0f-4dca-8c96-d10c94315692

The Government has listened to public concerns and will remove provisions from the Conservation Amendment Bill around the disposal or exchange of conservation land, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

2026-06-25T16:00:00+12:002026-06-25T16:00:00+12:00b5c09b2e-62bf-4312-8ea2-3107c321b336

Public speech by DOC Director-General Penny Nelson at Lincoln University on Thursday 25 June 2026.

2026-06-25T00:00:00+12:002026-06-25T00:00:00+12:00e9717885-1402-4f2f-b3f4-3fe2a84806f2

DOC is asking people to keep a lookout for a whale reported to be entangled off the Otago Coast.

2026-06-25T00:00:00+12:002026-06-25T00:00:00+12:0068105a89-be44-4864-b195-6691c7f17ffe

If there’s one thing that makes a DOC ranger smile, it’s hearing there are no rats detected in a valley where a critically endangered species lives.

2026-06-23T00:00:00+12:002026-06-23T00:00:00+12:002133c748-f3f9-46a7-baf4-3edfdc53db7b

‘Deep learning’ is set to supercharge conservation work, with the ability to count and identify every single tree in a forest, even when there’s nearly a million of them.

2026-06-22T00:00:00+12:002026-06-22T00:00:00+12:00feeea7ef-1b73-4fb9-94d5-5f148b272e9e

A new route to Kahurangi National Park’s Asbestos Cottage will open on Saturday, providing safe access to the popular hut.

2026-06-19T15:00:00+12:002026-06-19T15:00:00+12:002abf346f-21c3-42b0-a223-d540dbebbbb8

Lights, laughter, learning and kai will fill Puketī ngahere on 9 July as a community Matariki celebration brings together culture, conservation and whānau.

2026-06-19T00:00:00+12:002026-06-19T00:00:00+12:005529091c-2a94-4224-8d79-597b3f2975fb

DOC is asking locals and visitors naturing in the Bay of Islands/Te Pēwhairangi to be on the lookout for a rare Hector’s or Māui dolphin currently navigating local waters, and to report it if observed.

2026-06-19T00:00:00+12:002026-06-19T00:00:00+12:0000a55c83-dab2-4efa-9921-c04bfb01fc28

Regulation changes designed to improve trout quality and benefit anglers will be in place for the start of the new fishing season, which begins 1 July 2026.

2026-06-18T00:00:00+12:002026-06-18T00:00:00+12:00175cdf67-f4f7-4afc-a137-f06f8d38a66e

The Queenstown DOC visitor centre is on the move to better meet the changing needs of visitors naturing in the Whakatipu region.

2026-06-18T00:00:00+12:002026-06-18T00:00:00+12:006999bcc7-1314-4dfe-8506-5963586e0413

Seal season is underway, and DOC Tauranga has a set of community stalwarts prepped to check on kekeno / NZ fur seals in distress.

2026-06-17T11:00:00+12:002026-06-17T11:00:00+12:009c2b67b3-9085-409a-9774-641cb4d1eb34

Wasp control across visitor hotspots and priority biodiversity sites will double, backed by a $2 million International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy boost, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

2026-06-17T10:00:00+12:002026-06-17T10:00:00+12:008b2f3302-f6f9-409a-b099-e43bd0a8fc2a

Threatened native wildlife will get a reprieve from predators with a $14.1 million boost to predator control funding, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

2026-06-17T10:00:00+12:002026-06-17T10:00:00+12:00c93cf9d9-c65f-45d3-8ba5-6bd69dfcd971

An injured kārearea/New Zealand falcon has been transported hundreds of kilometres by a team of relay drivers after it was discovered injured on a road near Lake Tekapo/Takapō.

2026-06-12T00:00:00+12:002026-06-12T00:00:00+12:00ad3bcf9b-dfad-4442-a597-48c862294e53

A kororā scored an unfortunate own goal when it found itself entangled in a football net in a New Plymouth garden last week.

2026-06-10T11:00:00+12:002026-06-10T11:00:00+12:009e40a7b9-3ef1-4dd6-ba18-c468e1da7582

Heading out to survey kōwaro/mudfish sites on the Canterbury Plains, DOC ranger Allanah Purdie never knows what to expect.

2026-06-09T09:00:00+12:002026-06-09T09:00:00+12:00c8ce9c5c-5ee9-4c42-8211-bd069c889f79

A new collaborative approach to managing wild deer in Ruahine Forest Park aims to reduce pressure on native forests while recognising the important role hunters and local communities play in caring for this special place.

2026-06-09T00:00:00+12:002026-06-09T00:00:00+12:00375099d6-ac83-4603-ab26-a8a17c89678b

Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau is set to lead the next phase of Predator Free 2050, with a $10 million Government investment to expand predator elimination efforts across the region and develop new tools that can be used across New Zealand, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka and Minister for Auckland Simon Watts say.

2026-06-05T11:00:00+12:002026-06-05T11:00:00+12:0022741029-8442-4687-954c-98b875ffde71

Hunters, conservation and the community have all come out on top after a managed hunt resulted in 192 kg of venison donated to a Blenheim foodbank.

2026-06-05T00:00:00+12:002026-06-05T00:00:00+12:0045219068-8cfa-4665-800a-6d316cc8fb4b

DOC is calling for information after a juvenile kea was shot in the wing in Golden Bay and had to be euthanised due to its injuries.

2026-06-04T10:00:00+12:002026-06-04T10:00:00+12:00151fe3bb-af97-4712-ae2b-60eccf4d0a8f

New Zealand’s southernmost kauri forest has been confirmed as free of Phytophthora agathidicida (PA), the pathogen causing kauri dieback disease.

2026-06-04T07:30:00+12:002026-06-04T07:30:00+12:00196337f7-cc03-4e92-8ae3-aba322e8064f

A remediation project to clean up two former landfill sites in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park has been completed this week, Environment Minister Nicola Grigg and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka announced today.

2026-06-04T00:00:00+12:002026-06-04T00:00:00+12:005fca9970-2a95-4c27-9e08-4fb2d32cde65

A southern right whale / tohorā was freed from a blue cod pot line in a complex operation - the first time this species has been disentangled in New Zealand waters.

2026-06-03T12:30:00+12:002026-06-03T12:30:00+12:008457dbac-3b49-42fb-ba65-30cf66e23524

New booking figures show overwhelming demand for bookable facilities, with record numbers eager to get naturing in some of New Zealand’s most iconic outdoor destinations.

2026-06-03T09:00:00+12:002026-06-03T09:00:00+12:0099ae049c-51e3-4f61-b94f-58bddd8b5c50

Kāi Tahu and DOC have announced Te Au Roa o Te Rakihouia as the name for the Otago region’s new marine reserve network, reflecting ancient voyaging traditions and associations.

2026-06-02T00:00:00+12:002026-06-02T00:00:00+12:008104690b-1628-4a91-ae56-43fb9ca2184a

Some of New Zealand’s most remarkable marine environments and species are set to benefit from significant new protections along the Otago coast, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

2026-06-02T00:00:00+12:002026-06-02T00:00:00+12:006a85767f-fa5d-4e32-aaac-b9a9c67e8d14

Years of dedication to the pursuit of trophy trout underpin this year’s overall winner in the Taupō fishery photography competition.

2026-06-02T00:00:00+12:002026-06-02T00:00:00+12:009d8697b0-3962-4c40-891d-107a7bb6d227

A second New Zealand sea lion/pakake pup has been killed on a southern coastal road this month, prompting an urgent call from DOC to drivers to be vigilant.

2026-05-29T00:00:00+12:002026-05-29T00:00:00+12:00