Hauraki Maori Matauranga for the conservation and harvest of Titi, Pterodroma macroptera gouldi

Abstract

Hauraki Maori traditional knowledge (which the New Zealand Maori term matauranga) concerning the harvest ofTiti, Grey-faced Petrel,Pterodroma macroptera gouldi (Hutton, 1869), on the islands adjacent to the Coromandel Peninsula was recorded and analysed. The harvestof Titi linked Hauraki individuals to culture, ancestors, individual well-being and tribal identity. It also maintained mana (prestige), kaitiaki(environmental guardian) responsibilities and matauranga systems. Harvest tallies of Titi chicks (and number of birders) declined from 15000chicks (and 100-150 birders) before 1950, to 1000-1200 chicks (10-20 birders) by the late 1980s, to < 100 chicks (5-10 birders) in2007. Decline in harvest tallies was not due solely to fewer individuals harvesting because daily catch rates per birder also declined, in somecircumstances by as much as 87%, over this time. Traditional resource management strategies for sustaining Titi populations included:selection of chicks in the intermediate stage of growth allowing those in a more advanced state to escape; harvesting chicks towards theend of the adult provisioning period to minimise disturbance; creating breeding space by splitting burrows; annual rotation of harvestaround islands to enhance escapement in some years; assigning partial island refuges to enhance escapement; respecting the mana andmauti (life force) of the Titi by not leaving chick remains on the islands and causing abandonment; and designating a rahui (temporaryharvest prohibition) on islands to rest colonies from harvest. Indigenous knowledge can provide valuable insights into population dynamicsand strategies for managing a species, as well as to prioritise research to safeguard the population, traditional knowledge and culturalwell-being of the harvesting community.