Our patients recover at our centre after treatment at Wildbase Hospital, they change regularly as they recover and are released back into the wild.
Our resident animals are with us all the time so there is always something to see.
Only around 2,500 Pāteke survive today.
Part of a captive breed for release programme in partnership with the Department of Conservation, our pāteke have produced more than 200 chicks that have been released back into the wild. Pāteke were once widespread across NZ, but loss of their wetland habitat and predation have made it our rarest waterfowl.
Our resident pāteke pair were both hatched at Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust (ICWT) in September 2012. Pāteke are flock mated, which means they can choose their partners rather than having their pairings selected for them.
This pairing has been a great success, going on to produce many ducklings over the years which have helped to increase wild pāteke populations around New Zealand. The pāteke breeding season begins in July and can run up until August each year. Our resident pāteke usually produce two clutches a year with 5 to 7 ducklings per clutch.
Like much of New Zealand’s wildlife, both male and female pāteke have the same colouring but during breeding season our male pāteke shows off his beautiful breeding plumage which consist of a bright white ring around his eyes and a green iridescent colour on his neck feathers. Female pāteke are also smaller than males and our resident female can be identified by her green leg band.
This pair have yet to be named but we are sure to come up with some great names for these great parents.
