Hauraki Maori Matauranga for the conservation and harvest ofTiti, 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 harvest of 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 15000 chicks (and 100-150 birders) before 1950, to 1000-1200 chicks (10-20 birders) by the late 1980s, to < 100 chicks (5-10 birders) in 2007. Decline in harvest tallies was not due solely to fewer individuals harvesting because daily catch rates per birder also declined, in some circumstances 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 the end of the adult provisioning period to minimise disturbance; creating breeding space by splitting burrows; annual rotation of harvest around islands to enhance escapement in some years; assigning partial island refuges to enhance escapement; respecting the mana and mauti (life force) of the Titi by not leaving chick remains on the islands and causing abandonment; and designating a rahui (temporary harvest prohibition) on islands to rest colonies from harvest. Indigenous knowledge can provide valuable insights into population dynamics and strategies for managing a species, as well as to prioritise research to safeguard the population, traditional knowledge and cultural well-being of the harvesting community.