Post-earthquake highway reconstruction: Impacts and mitigation opportunities for New Zealand pinniped population

Hall, Alasdair A.; Chilvers, B. Louise; Weir, Jody Suzanne; Vidulich, Ashley; Godfrey, A. Jonathan R.

doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106851

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Additional to providing human access to road-abutting colonies, SH1 is a direct threat to Kaik oura's NZFSs (Hall et al, 2023). The numbers of live and dead NZFSs recorded on SH1 have increased from an average of 12 per year between 1996 and 2005 (Boren, Morrissey & Gemmell, 2008) to 59 per year (±16.9 SD) between 2012 and 2022 (Hall et al, 2023). Much of this increase is likely due to local NZFS population growth, meaning the problem is likely to worsen without effective mitigation, such as more effective barriers, if local NZFS abundance continues to increase (Hall et al, 2023).…”

Section: Implications For Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The numbers of live and dead NZFSs recorded on SH1 have increased from an average of 12 per year between 1996 and 2005 (Boren, Morrissey & Gemmell, 2008) to 59 per year (±16.9 SD ) between 2012 and 2022 (Hall et al, 2023). Much of this increase is likely due to local NZFS population growth, meaning the problem is likely to worsen without effective mitigation, such as more effective barriers, if local NZFS abundance continues to increase (Hall et al, 2023). Continued increases to New Zealand's nationwide NZFS numbers (Emami‐Khoyi et al, 2018; Chilvers, 2021), and expansions of pinniped populations in other countries (Kirkwood et al, 2010; Milano et al, 2020) mean that mitigating similar deleterious interactions between such species and humans is likely to require greater consideration and resources in the future.…”

Section: Implications For Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additional to providing human access to road‐abutting colonies, SH1 is a direct threat to Kaikōura's NZFSs (Hall et al, 2023). The numbers of live and dead NZFSs recorded on SH1 have increased from an average of 12 per year between 1996 and 2005 (Boren, Morrissey & Gemmell, 2008) to 59 per year (±16.9 SD ) between 2012 and 2022 (Hall et al, 2023).…”

Section: Implications For Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Earthquake impacts on a protected pinniped in New Zealand

Hall,

Chilvers,

Weir

et al. 2024

Aquatic Conservation

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The impacts of natural disasters on marine mammals are poorly understood and difficult to study, which can hamper management responses following such events. This study provides the first distribution and abundance assessment of New Zealand fur seal (NZFS: Arctocephalus forsteri) colonies around Kaikōura, New Zealand, since a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in November 2016 caused substantial changes to both the local marine and terrestrial environments, and led to the reconstruction of a major highway that runs adjacent to NZFS colonies. Mark–recapture and direct counts in the 2022–2023 breeding season estimated pup production for NZFS breeding colonies along the Kaikōura coast. Using established multipliers, pup estimates were used to provide the first comprehensive population estimate for Kaikōura's NZFS population since the earthquake. Three new colonies and three new subcolonies were assessed and recorded, additional to reassessments of two established colonies. Overall, Kaikōura's NZFS population has grown and spread post‐earthquake, with an upper total population estimate of between 21,560 and 28,327 animals in the 2022–2023 breeding season. Some sites, such as Lynch's Reef, appear to have benefited from earthquake‐induced coastal uplift, with pup production increasing. Contrastingly, the estimated 2,401 (±99) pups produced at Ōhau Point in 2023 is similar to pre‐earthquake estimates. This indicates that the earthquake has disrupted previously documented growth at this site. The distribution of NZFS breeding at Ōhau Point has also changed substantially since the last pre‐earthquake assessment. From these findings, alterations to the Ōhau Point New Zealand Fur Seal Sanctuary and similar protections at other locations on the Kaikōura coast are suggested, as greater numbers of NZFSs are now accessible to human interaction and disturbance. The results demonstrate both how natural disasters and subsequent infrastructure modifications can impact coastal species and how conservation measures may need to be amended accordingly.

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