DOC DRILL SPRINGS TO LIFE MORE THAN THREE YEARS LATER

The Department of Conservation’s flying visit to Campbell Island as part of Operation Endurance achieved a few targets, despite the short time frame.

One of the tasks completed was installing a radio repeater on Mt Honey, which will improve communications between huts on the island – making life easier and improving safety.

Another task was to retrieve gear left behind at North West Bay hut in 2019.

Some of it was rubbish, however they also left behind some power tools. One drill surprisingly still had two-thirds charge left and the Navy team was able to use it about the hut.

DOC was also able to fix a leak in the roof of its building at Beeman Base and take an inventory of its equipment, which would make planning for the next trip easier, DOC operations team lead Sharon Trainor said.

Aside from the logistical tasks, DOC staff managed to do a little albatross and penguin monitoring.

Eleven hoiho penguins at Middle Bay had their blood sampled and were swabbed for disease monitoring, and nine have had satellite tags attached to track post-guard (when parents leave the nest to search for food) and pre-moult foraging at sea.

They installed 12 remote cameras at royal albatross nests to monitor breeding success and attached 29 geolocator tags on royal albatrosses to monitor their movements over the next year or two.

They also counted as many birds within the Col study area as possible and checked for banded birds.

Photos: A DOC team heads into the hills to conduct wildlife monitoring.

Southern Royal Albatross in tussock on Campbell Island.

A Campbell Island seal watches the photographer.