Motueka Valley locals are trapping predators to protect the whio/blue duck in their catchment. Before the arrival of Europeans, whio/blue duck were common on the Motueka River but now they are in trouble.
Whio are found only in New Zealand, and their numbers are very low—without active protection they would likely become extinct in the wild. They live in swift-flowing rivers and need clean water with plenty of insect life. They are very vulnerable to predators, especially stoats.
In recent years whio numbers have been increasing in Kahurangi National Park and are beginning to spill over into nearby tributaries of the Motueka River.
