Blackout for endangered native black seabirds

West Coast street lights are turning off at night again this summer to protect the Westland Petrel - or tāiko. Waka Kotahi has settled on darkness on a short section of State Highway 6 through Punakaiki from this week until January.

The Westland petrel breeding colony is just south of Punakaiki. Fledglings nesting in burrows there can get disoriented by bright lights under their flight path, causing them to crash land.This phenomena is known as fallout. Last year was the first season Waka Kotahi turned off the LED street-lights in Punakaiki, seemingly with some success.

An adult Westland petrel coming in to land at the breeding grounds

A young Westland petrel chick in its burrow

Streetlights at Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki, pre blackout

Post blackout at Pancake Rocks

A Westland petrel fledgling in its burrow

Westland petrel fledgling fallout victims picked up off the road during night patrol, ready to be relaunched

Susie Ferguson is joined by Chairman of the Westland Petrel Conservation Trust Bruce Stuart-Menteath and Senior Network Manager for Waka Kotahi Colin Hey.