More Top Stories

Culture
Church Talk
Court
Economy
Economy
Economy
Economy
Education

Articles by Gerald McCormack

From pest to past: Ātiu’s epic battle against invasive myna

Saturday 10 August 2024 | Written by Gerald McCormack | Published in Environment, Features, National, Outer Islands

After six years of no reported mynas on Ātiu, the Natural Heritage Trust is declaring its Eradication Project a success. The removal of a population of about 6000 mynas made it the world’s largest myna eradication on an island. It dwarfed the second largest island-eradication of 1641 mynas on North Island in the Seychelles completed in February 2019. By Gerald McCormack, Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust.


Te Ko‘u summit biodiversity

Saturday 4 November 2023 | Written by Gerald McCormack | Published in Features, In Depth, Weekend

The inland mountains of Rarotonga maintain one of the most pristine tropical forests in the Central South Pacific. Gerald McCormack of Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust explains why.


Keanui’s biodiversity bonanza

Saturday 5 June 2021 | Written by Gerald McCormack | Published in Features, In Depth

Residents often talk about Cook Islands biodiversity, but few have discovered as many unrecorded species as six-year-old Keanui Selam. His recent insect-catching expeditions led to the discovery of eight unrecorded species of Heteroptera, a group of insects known as true bugs, or typical bugs. By Gerald McCormack of the Natural Heritage Trust.

Premium content


Will deep sea mining destroy what the ocean already provides humanity?

Saturday 29 May 2021 | Written by Gerald McCormack | Published in Features, Weekend

A precautionary approach of two concurrent nodule mines has the potential to provide a major new revenue stream for the Cook Islands of around US$90 million (NZ$124m) per year, writes Gerald McCormack, Natural Heritage Trust.

Premium content


We’re away, home again in September

Wednesday 14 April 2021 | Written by Gerald McCormack | Published in Features, In Depth

The Pacific Golden Plover or Tōrea is our most common Alaskan migrant. It is conspicuous on large grassy areas during the summer and most are now in their dramatic breeding plumage and ready to depart for Alaska. By Gerald McCormack of Natural Heritage Trust.

Premium content


Anonymous criticism by Te Ipukarea Society ‘misguided’

Wednesday 24 February 2021 | Written by Gerald McCormack | Published in Editorials, Opinion

I would like to comment on the various Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) criticisms (Cook Islands News, February 20) of my article about the possible impacts of seabed mining on nodule-associated benthic megafauna (Cook Islands News, February 11), writes Gerald McCormack of Natural Heritage Trust.

Premium content


Will nodule mining impact animals that live on the ocean floor?

Thursday 11 February 2021 | Written by Gerald McCormack | Published in Features, Go Local

A closer look at the potential impact of nodule mining on the megafauna associated with nodules in the Cook Islands EEZ from Penrhyn southward to Aitutaki and Palmerston. By Gerald McCormack, Director of the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust.

Premium content