Environment
The origin of mynas in Tahiti?
Saturday 23 June 2012 | Published in Environment
The first mention of mynas in Tahiti is by Clement Wragge who arrived there from Rarotonga in 1904. He wrote that he saw the ”mina“, a thrush-like bird, strutting around Papeete and they had been ”imported from the Moluccas to kill those infernal big wasps and cattle ticks.“ Although the French name in Tahiti, Merle […]
The spread of the 'farmer's friend' – the myna bird
Saturday 23 June 2012 | Published in Environment
The myna is locally much loathed as a pest, yet it arrived in the early 1900s with such high hopes as the ”farmer’s friend“. We follow its triumphant march from India to many countries, including the Cook Islands. The Common Myna is indigenous to southern Asia, primarily India. It lives in open woodlands but is […]
Mauke turtle expedition successful
Friday 22 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Phil and Nerissa Bradshaw of the Cook Islands Turtle Project (CITP) have just returned from a successful research expedition to Mauke where they conducted the island’s first official assessment of sea turtle populations and nesting behaviours. They worked with Mauke’s environment officer Basilio Kaokao to identify beaches where turtles were known to have nested at […]
Three tonnes of shark fins allegedly found
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in Environment
A number of reports have come in of a large amount of shark fins being found on a foreign fishing vessel by a recent navy patrol. According to numerous reliable sources, three tonnes worth of shark fins – without the required number of shark carcasses – have allegedly been found by navy personnel onboard a […]
Vaka bound for Vanuatu
Wednesday 20 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Our arrival ceremony in Laucala Bay in Suva was really cool! It started the same way as in Levuka, with 3 members from each vaka chosen to chase and search through a group of Fijian ladies for the prized tabua (whale’s tooth) that they were concealing. However, the difference with this one was that we […]
Maureen Goodwin reports from Nauru
Monday 18 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Maureen Goodwin is known to many in the Cook Islands, having worked since 1996 in various educational capacities in classrooms and the Ministry of Education. At present she is employed for one year as Literacy Advisor to the Nauru Department of Education. She says that Nauru, the smallest nation in the world, although still a […]
Plastic bags to be outlawed
Monday 18 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Cabinet has agreed to legislate against the importation of plastic bags into the Cook Islands. Prime Minister Henry Puna made the announcement when he stood to support the $1 million allocation for environment in this year’s Budget. ”In supporting the appropriation for environment, I want to say how pleased I am with the support that […]
The case for Reusables versus Disposables
Saturday 16 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Since 2008 when Lagoon Day was first held, June Hosking and other presenters advocated for reusable nappies over disposables. However the topic, without ready suppliers and information on island, has crawled along. So earlier this year Hosking, now the coordinator of Lagoon Day, decided it was time to follow her dream with a good plan […]
Shark conservation under consultation
Saturday 16 June 2012 | Published in Environment
A two-day meeting was held this week by the Ministry of Marine Resources to discuss an updated national plan of action for sharks. Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) secretary Ben Ponia organised the consultation to talk about the problem of shark over-fishing and the possibility of creating a shark sanctuary in the Cooks. Ponia flew […]
Shark finning alleged
Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Environment
In Parliament Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen asked marine resources minister Teina Bishop to comment on allegations that vessels licensed under the exploratory programme are finning sharks illegally. ”Is the minister aware that under the exploratory licences scheme or regime…people who are fishing in our waters, particularly Asian fishermen fishing in our waters, are finning sharks?“ […]
National plan for sharks
Wednesday 13 June 2012 | Published in Environment
The Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) will hold a consultation on its National Plan of Action for Sharks starting on Thursday afternoon at 1pm and continuing Friday morning at New Hope Church, Avarua, Rarotonga. MMR secretary Ben Ponia will lead the consultation which will include a presentation on global and regional shark issues by Dr […]
Recycled sculptures cut waste
Tuesday 12 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Friday morning saw five judges visit 11 sculptures around Rarotonga for the SLM Recycled Sculptures competition which was the last event for National Environment Week. Groups, government departments, businesses and other organisations were invited to participate by creating sculptures of sea creatures out of waste material from their office/workplace/community to display during Environment Week. With […]
Lagoon Day 'dream' rolls out from today
Monday 11 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Today begins a 31-day countdown to Lagoon Day – an environmental exhibition to raise public awareness through hands on, and where possible, on site education. Lagoon Day is in its fifth year and the event, on July 12 and 13, is themed ‘Dream the possible dream’. Event coodinator June Hosking says that the theme was […]
Reclamation grows
Saturday 9 June 2012 | Published in Environment
The $1.8 million Punanga Nui reclamation project is underway at a great pace, with more dredged harbour material being added to make new land every day – and night. Ports Authority general manager Bim Tou said contractors McConnell Dowell (Mac Dow) are working day and night to get the work completed. Water suppression of dust […]
75% of Muri properties signed up
Saturday 9 June 2012 | Published in Environment
After a month-long information and advertising campaign, 75 percent of residential property owners in the Muri-Avana area have now signed-up to receive an upgraded sanitation system provided under the waste management initiative. Those signing up to the waste management initiative (WMI programme) are required to make a $1000 contribution towards the cost of the upgrade. […]
Plants grown with 'fish poo'
Friday 8 June 2012 | Published in Environment
An aquafarm venture is currently being built in Titikaveka ready to open in time for the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in August. Aquaponics, which is new to the Cook Islands, combines aquaculture and hydroponics. For a simpler explanation, in the words of Pacific Islands Trade & Invest’s media and stakeholder relationships advisor Dev Nadkarni, ”it […]
Environment award recipient chosen
Friday 8 June 2012 | Published in Environment
To coincide with Environment Week, Tania Temata has been chosen as recipient of Te Ipukarea Society’s Environment Award. ”This award is presented to either an individual or organisation or business who is a champion of environmental issues and Tania is very deserving of this award,“ says Ian Karika, president of the society. In citing the […]
Turtle research reinforcements
Thursday 7 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Fresh off of their Palmerston sea turtle research expedition, the Cook Islands Turtle Project (CITP) – a project of Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative (PICI) – is excited to welcome two new volunteers to the team. Phil and Nerissa Bradshaw have come on board to run sea turtle research for the southern group – and they’ve […]
Use reusable bags!
Thursday 7 June 2012 | Published in Environment
In the spirit of National Environment Week, the National Environment Service (NES) is encouraging people to tote their groceries in reusable bags. Two shop owners have been obliging and on board with NES’ efforts to phase out plastic bags for months now, and in return have received 100 reusable bags apiece to sell to customers. […]
Tokelau aims for 100% renewable energy by 2012
Wednesday 6 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Tokelau is following the Cook Islands by declaring a 100 percent renewable energy goal. Pacific island countries are among the most petroleum-dependent nations and territories in the world. However, Tokelau, a group of three small atolls in the South Pacific, will be the first to meet its electricity needs entirely through renewable energy by the […]