Gannets of Cape Kidnappers

Known to the Maori people as Takapu, the Gannet is usually an island breeder but has made a notable exception at Cape Kidnappers on the East Coast of the North Island. For many years this promontory forming the southern extremity of Hawke's Bay was the only known mainland gannet colony in the world, and remains the largest, and most accessible colony.

History of the Cape
Cape Kidnappers was named by Captain Cook in 1769. Cook named it after an incident in which local Maoris unsuccessfully tried to kidnap his Tahitian interpreter. The French explorer Dumont D'Urville passed within a league of the Cape in February 1827. However, it wasn't until 1870 that Henry Hill, an early Hawke's Bay naturalist, reported the existence of a gannet colony at the Cape and recorded the population as not exceeding 50. The population of the saddle colony has now stabilised at about 2200 pairs.

Migration
Do gannets migrate? Recoveries of banded birds showed that gannets do not migrate. Their chicks disperse to the eastern coasts of Australia where they remain for 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 years until they become adults. They then return to New Zealand and thereafter remain in New Zealand waters. The average lifespan of the gannet is estimated at between 25 and 40 years. The young gannets set out across 2735 km of stormy Tasman Sea without a practice flight, previous experience in direction finding, leaders, or having learnt how to catch their own food. Flight speed varies and depends upon weather conditions, but most birds reach Australia one to two weeks after their departure from the Cape. Only about 25-30 percent of the young birds survive the ocean crossing and return to Cape Kidnappers.

Nesting
From early May to Mid July the gannetry is empty. The only feature that stands out in the stark bareness of the colony is rows of neatly spaced nesting mounds. Following the full moon in July, males that nested during the previous season return to their nesting sites and are later joined by their mates. Gannets mate for life, and they return to the same nest site each year.

Designed for Diving
Although the gannet is ungainly on land, it is transformed into a graceful and effortless glider in the air. When a fish is sighted its easy gliding suddenly becomes a plummeting dive and it enters the water at speeds of up to 145 km an hour from heights of up to 30 m. In this way fish are caught at depths of 43 m or more.

Visiting the Cape
To reach Cape Kidnappers Gannet Reserve from Clifton Domain is a pleasant walk of 1½ hours at low tide along 8 km of beach.

Along the way there are sights to interest. For the geologist there are spectacular views of stratified rock beds featuring gravels, conglomerate and mudstone as well as glimpses of petrified wood and thin seams of lignite. Action of the sea and wind has carved interesting shapes out of the soft sands and shingles of the cliffs. Flotsam and jetsam cast up from the sea are there to interest the beach lover and for bird watchers there are two colonies of black-backed gulls and wild pigeons living on the cliffs. The white-fronted tern nests near Black Reef and usually a few black shags can be seen further out on the reef. Recently, kiwi have been discovered on the Cape, and efforts are underway to protect these lovely birds.

Alternatives to walking to the Cape include the Gannet Safaris overland from Summerlee Station and the Tractor and Trailer Gannet Beach Adventures along the beach from Te Awanga.

And, don't forget the opportunity to play a magnificent rounf of golf at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course!  

 
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