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A 24-hour recording of Radio New Zealand National. The following rundown is sourced from the broadcaster’s website. Note some overseas/copyright restricted items may not appear in the supplied rundown:
10 December 2015
===12:04 AM. | All Night Programme===
=DESCRIPTION=
Including: 12:05 Music after Midnight; 12:30 One in Five (RNZ); 1:05 Discovery (BBC); 2:05 The Thursday Feature (RNZ); 3:05 The Elusive Language of Ducks, by Judith White, read by Jane Waddell (4 of 10, RNZ); 3:30 NZ Books (RNZ); 5:10 Witness (BBC); 5:45 The Day in Parliament (RNZ)
===6:00 AM. | Morning Report===
=DESCRIPTION=
RNZ's three-hour breakfast news show with news and interviews, bulletins on the hour and half-hour 6:16 and 6:50 Business News 6:18 Pacific News 6:26 Rural News 6:48 and 7:45 NZ Newspapers
=AUDIO=
06:00
Top Stories for Thursday 10 December 2015
BODY:
A crucial new draft is delivered at the Paris climate change summit. Could Serco win back the contract to run Mt Eden? Work hard, take abuse from everyone and get paid 'F all'.. A job description comes in for criticism from unions.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 26'41"
06:05
Sports News for 10 December 2015
BODY:
An update from the team at RNZ Sport.
Topics: sport
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 2'08"
06:08
'Jihadi brides' free to come and go from NZ
BODY:
The women who've left the country to marry jihadist fighters in Syria and Iraq have not had their passports cancelled and are free to come back.
Topics: politics
Regions:
Tags: Syria
Duration: 1'53"
06:11
California shooters spoke of jihad as early as late 2013
BODY:
American officials say the couple who killed 14 people in San Bernardino last week were radicalised before they met online.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags: US, terrorism
Duration: 3'34"
06:20
Early business news
BODY:
Our business reporter, Jonathan Mitchell, is in and today has the Reserve Bank's last monetary statement for the year.
Topics: business, economy
Regions:
Tags: markets
Duration: 2'09"
06:25
Morning Rural News for 10 December 2015
BODY:
News from the rural and farming sector.
Topics: rural, farming
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 4'05"
06:39
Corrections Assoc does want Serco involved
BODY:
The Prime Minister has left the door open for Serco to rebid for the contract for Mt Eden prison after its contract ends.
Topics: crime
Regions:
Tags: Serco, prison
Duration: 3'30"
06:51
English not overly enthusiastic about new monetary policy idea
BODY:
The Reserve Bank is a couple of hours away from delivering its last monetary statement of the year.
Topics: business, economy
Regions:
Tags: Reserve Bank
Duration: 1'52"
06:53
Survey finds steady hiring activity, despite year-on-year fall
BODY:
A survey of New Zealand employers points to steady hiring activity, as the lower New Zealand dollar creates opportunties for exports and tourism growth.
Topics: business, economy
Regions:
Tags: hiring activity, ManpowerGroup
Duration: 1'18"
06:54
Shareholders told better returns will come at Contact
BODY:
Shareholders in the power company, Contact, will have to resign themselves to a flat outlook for the foreseeable future.
Topics: business, economy
Regions:
Tags: Contact
Duration: 1'41"
06:56
Genesis Energy says Kupe reserves will sustain dividend stream
BODY:
The power company, Genesis Energy, says the increased reserves in the Kupe gas and oil field, will help the company sustain the shareholders' dividend stream.
Topics: business
Regions:
Tags: Genesis Energy
Duration: 1'20"
06:58
Morning markets for 10 December 2015
BODY:
Wall Street is weaker as oil hovers around that 40 US dollar a barrel mark.
Topics: business, economy
Regions:
Tags: markets
Duration: 56"
07:07
Sports News for 10 December 2015
BODY:
An update from the team at RNZ Sport.
Topics: sport
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 2'05"
07:10
Crucial new draft of Paris text delivered
BODY:
A crucial new draft of the Paris climate change agreement has been delivered at the UN summit in the early hours of this morning.
Topics: climate
Regions:
Tags: climate change, Paris
Duration: 4'31"
07:15
Prime Minister leaves door open for Serco
BODY:
The Government has canned Serco's contract to run Mt Eden prison, but the Prime Minister has left the door open for the private operator to rebid.
Topics: crime, politics
Regions:
Tags: Serco
Duration: 2'28"
07:18
Govt needs to cut its losses and kick Serco to the curb - Labour
BODY:
Private prison operator Serco may've been given the boot but inmates describe the current violence as worse than ever.
Topics: crime, politics
Regions:
Tags: Serco
Duration: 3'52"
07:24
NZers going to fight with ISIS likely to increase - SIS
BODY:
The women who the Security Intelligence Service says have left the country to marry jihadist fighters in Syria and Iraq have not had their passports cancelled and are free to come home.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags: SIS, Syria, IS
Duration: 3'39"
07:28
Nightclub slammed for "sexist" job ad
BODY:
Work hard, take abuse from everyone and get paid 'F all' -- that's how a popular Wellington nightclub is advertising for someone to pick up dirty glasses.
Topics:
Regions: Wellington Region
Tags: Dakota, jobs
Duration: 3'15"
07:38
Most at-risk in the Far North, Kawerau, Opotiki and Wairoa
BODY:
Young adults in the Far North, Kawerau, Opotiki and Wairoa have been singled out as the most at-risk in the country.
Topics: life and society
Regions:
Tags: at-risk youth
Duration: 5'37"
07:44
Jury continues deliberations in Davender Singh murder trial
BODY:
The jurors deciding the case of a woman accused of helping her lover murder her husband will continue their deliberations today.
Topics:
Regions: Auckland Region
Tags: Davender Singh
Duration: 2'41"
07:52
Massive deployment to Middle East waters comes to a close
BODY:
One of the Defence Force's most significant operations ended last night when personnel from its fourth, and final, rotation arrived home to their eager and anxious families.
Topics: defence force
Regions:
Tags: Middle East
Duration: 3'35"
07:56
Christmas ideas for tech savvy kids
BODY:
Are you confused about what to get children for Christmas?
Topics: technology
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 3'01"
08:07
Sports News for 10 December 2015
BODY:
An update from the team at RNZ Sport.
Topics: sport
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 2'07"
08:10
RBNZ expected to cut OCR to record low 2.5%
BODY:
Business and unions are expecting a cut in the cost of borrowing this morning.
Topics: economy
Regions:
Tags: official cash rate, Reserve Bank
Duration: 2'29"
08:13
No jobs for young adults - Opotiki and Wairoa mayors
BODY:
The mayors of two areas whose young adults have been labelled the most "at-risk" in the country are blaming the lack of jobs and a lack of hope.
Topics: life and society
Regions:
Tags: jobs, at-risk youth
Duration: 6'11"
08:19
Lawyers back decision to remove criminal sanctions
BODY:
The Government's decision to remove the theat of prison from the cartel bill has support from the legal fraternity.
Topics: law, politics
Regions:
Tags: cartel bill
Duration: 4'34"
08:24
Former Australian PM goes on campaign to change Islam
BODY:
Australia's former prime minister Tony Abbott has sparked criticism by saying Islam has a "massive problem" and needs to reform.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags: Australia, Tony Abbott
Duration: 4'30"
08:28
Petition to ban Donald Trump from entering the UK
BODY:
More than 290-thousand people in Britain have signed a petition calling for the American presidential hopeful, Donald Trump, to be banned from the country.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags: Donald Trump, UK
Duration: 3'03"
08:32
Markets Update for 10 December 2015
BODY:
A brief update of movements in the financial sector.
Topics: business, economy
Regions:
Tags: markets
Duration: 1'06"
08:37
Black Caps and Sri Lanka first test starts today
BODY:
The first cricket test between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka will get underway in a couple of hours after a week of drama for the visiting team.
Topics: sport
Regions:
Tags: cricket, Black Caps
Duration: 2'42"
08:40
Christchurch council considers Maori committee
BODY:
Hot on the heels of a call for the Auckland Council's Maori Advisory Board to be scrapped, the Christchurch City Council is considering setting up a committee of its own to boost Maori representation
Topics: politics, te ao Maori
Regions: Canterbury
Tags: Maori
Duration: 3'16"
08:43
Attitudes in Pacific still need to change on domestic violence
BODY:
An increase in complaints to police about domestic violence in the Pacific is being seen as a sign a Pacific-wide campaign against violence is working.
Topics: Pacific
Regions:
Tags: domestic violence
Duration: 3'15"
08:47
Brownlee confirms US request for more military backing
BODY:
The United States is demanding its allies in the war against Islamic State must step up their military contributions.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags: IS, Syria, Iraq
Duration: 2'04"
08:55
Electric car named AA's Car of the Year
BODY:
The New Zealand Car of the Year was announced last night and the BMW i 3 electric car took out the honours.
Topics: transport
Regions:
Tags: Car of the Year, BMW i 3
Duration: 2'46"
=SHOW NOTES=
===9:06 AM. | Nine To Noon===
=DESCRIPTION=
Current affairs and topics of interest, including: 10:45 The Reading: Chappy, by Patricia Grace, told by Jim Moriarty and Simon Leary (7 of 12, RNZ)
=AUDIO=
09:08
Reserve Bank OCR announcement
BODY:
RNZ Business Editor Gyles Beckford discusses the Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler's latest Official Cash Rate announcement.
Topics: economy
Regions:
Tags: official cash rate
Duration: 10'10"
09:19
Lion cubs bred to be shot by foreign hunters
BODY:
Safari operator and environmental writer Ian Michler has exposed a multi million dollar industry in South Africa, where lions are bred in captivity to be shot by trophy hunters
And that the practice is being partly funded by donors who believe they are giving to lion sanctuaries.
EXTENDED BODY:
Thousands of lions in South Africa are being 'bred for the bullet', says a safari operator who has exposed the disturbing facts behind lion hunting in Africa.
Safari operator and environmental writer Ian Michler has exposed the fact that many lion cubs in South Africa are being taken from their mothers and sold for trophy hunting, with the practice being partly funded by people who believed they are donating to lion sanctuaries.
He is the narrator of the new documentary, Blood lions: Cubs to the slaughter, which details how thousands of lions are bred in captivity, packed together in small cages until they are fully grown, then shot by foreign hunters who take them home as a trophy.
Speaking to Nine to Noon this morning, Mr Michler said there were thousands of lions held in captivity like this, three times as many as the 1500 lions living wildly in South Africa.
He said the lions were bred in confined spaces purely for the purposes of trophy hunting.
"They're tame, human-imprinted cats that then get moved into a larger area when the big, brave hunter comes. I have no idea what these trophy hunters tell their friends back home, all I can tell you is these are hand-reared, tame animals, and they are shot in confined areas."
Listen to Kathryn Ryan speak to Ian Michler on Nine to Noon here:
Mr Michler - who works as a safari operator, specialist wilderness guide, consultant and environmental photojournalist - has lived and worked across Africa for the past 25 years.
He said another major issue with the practice of raising lions for hunting led to a lot of inbreeding, especially when the businesses tried to create the coveted white lions.
"This means that in captive conditions, the gene pool is completely contaminated."
Hunting was the most obvious revenue stream, but Mr Michler said the businesses also made money from allowing tourists to pet and play with the animals when they were cubs, offering gap year students opportunities to work on the farms for US$2000 a trip, and shipping off lion bone to Asia, where it was used in traditional medicines.
He said the practice was partly funded by people who thought they were donating to sanctuaries, and said it was a "complete lie".
"It's fraudulent marketing. What I think is happening is the breeders and the hunters and the petters understand now that the media and conservationists like myself and many other people are on to what they are doing. So they are trying more and more to come up with justifications as to why their particular facility is still legitimate."
Images from Blood lions: Cubs to the slaughter:
Topics:
Regions:
Tags: conservation, lions
Duration: 15'02"
09:34
The role of women in Islamic State
BODY:
The UK based Institue of Strategic Dialogue has been keeping a close watch on those who have travelled to the region, and say more than 550 western women gone there to join Islamic State. In a recent report, Til Martyrdom Do Us Part, it looks at the role women play in Islamic State, including as recruiters of more women.
Topics: conflict
Regions:
Tags: Islamic State, IS
Duration: 17'55"
09:52
UK correspondent Jon Dennis
BODY:
UK Politics. Storm Desmond.
Topics: politics
Regions:
Tags: UK
Duration: 7'18"
10:07
Renowned baroque conductor, Nicholas McGegan
BODY:
Nicholas McGegan has been hailed as one of the finest baroque conductors of his generation. He's an expert in early music, as well as accomplished flautiest and harpsichordist. He's about in New Zealand to conduct Handel's most famous work - Messiah - one of the few pieces of music that has been in continuous performance since the year it was written.
Topics: music
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 32'43"
10:40
Book review: The Sartorialist: X by Scott Schuman
BODY:
Reviewed by Jane Westaway, published by Penguin.
Topics: books
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 4'05"
11:06
New Technology with Nat Torkington
BODY:
Cyber security: Nat Torkington is attending the Kiwicon conference for NZ's computer security professionals. The theme this year is "cybersecurity".
Topics: technology
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 24'19"
11:30
Dealing with teenagers' shame, loneliness and embarrassment
BODY:
Wellington based clinical psychologist and Acceptance and Commitment therapist Ben Sedley looking at ways for teenagers to deal with shame, loneliness and embarrassment. His training and practice has focused on examining children and young people's understanding of mental health.
EXTENDED BODY:
Clinical psychologist and Acceptance and Commitment therapist Ben Sedley focuses on children and young people's understanding of mental health.
With Kathryn Ryan he looks at how teenagers can deal with shame, loneliness and embarrassment, and talks about why they are especially susceptible to these three emotions.
Topics: life and society
Regions:
Tags: Ben Sedley, parenting, shame, loneliness, embarrassment
Duration: 16'29"
11:47
Viewing with Paul Casserly
BODY:
Paul talks about his favourite shows of 2015, and how impressed he is with Deutschland 83, a new Cold War thriller on Lightbox
Topics: arts, media
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 12'36"
=SHOW NOTES=
09:05 Reserve Bank OCR announcement
Homeowners have been given an early Christmas present with the Reserve Bank cutting the cost of borrowing to a record low. Savers will see their returns further eroded however.
The Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler, has trimmed 25 basis points off the official rate, bringing it to a record low 2.5 percent, and unwinding all of last year's rate hikes. The cash rate influences bank interest rates. RNZ Business Editor Gyles Beckford discusses the announcement.
09:20 Lion cubs bred to be shot by foreign hunters
Safari operator and environmental writer Ian Michler has exposed the fact that many lion cubs in South Africa are being taken from their mothers and sold for trophy hunting, and that the practice is being partly funded by people who believe they are donating to lion sanctuaries.
He is the narrator of the new documentary, Blood lions: Cubs to the slaughter, which details how thousands of lions are bred in captivity, packed together in small cages until they are fully grown, then shot by foreign hunters who take them home as a trophy.
Ian Michler is a safari operator, specialist wilderness guide, consultant and environmental photojournalist. He has lived and worked across Africa for the last 25 years. He has written many feature articles, diaries and blogs documenting the major conservation challenges facing Africa, and especially those on predator breeding and trophy hunting. He is an ecotourism consultant for both private and government sectors, and currently channels his conservation work through The Conservation Action Trust
Images from Blood lions: Cubs to the slaughter:
[gallery:1625]
09:30 Jihadi Brides
The Institute for Strategic Dialogue manages the largest database of female travelers to the Iraq and Syria, In a recent report, Til Martyrdom Do Us Part. It estimates 550 western women who have joined ISIS. It says the role of women in Islamic State is not considered in most aspects of Western counter-terrorism. Co-author of the report, Erin Saltsman says women in ISIS are barred from combat but support the group's state-building efforts as wives, mothers, recruiters and sometimes online cheerleaders of violence.
09:45 UK Correspondent, Jon Dennis
10:05 international Baroque specialist Nicholas McGegan
International Baroque specialist Nicholas McGegan is in New Zealand to conduct Handel's most famous work, Messiah, performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra this Saturday.
Messiah was composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible. It is now probably the best-known and most frequently performed choral work in Western music.
Nicholas McGegan is an expert in early music, an internationally renowned baroque conducter, as well as an accomplished flautiest and harpsichordist.
10:30 Book review: The Sartorialist: X by Scott Schuman
Reviewed by Jane Westaway, published by Penguin
10:45 The Reading: Chappy by Patricia Grace told by Jim Moriarty and Simon Leary (Part 7 of 12, RNZ)
11:05 New technology with Nat Torkington
11:25 Dealing with teenagers' shame, loneliness and embarrassment
[image:53365:quarter]
Wellington based clinical psychologist and Acceptance and Commitment therapist Ben Sedley looking at ways for teenagers to deal with shame, loneliness and embarrassment. His training and practice has focused on examining children and young people's understanding of mental health.
11:45 Viewing with Paul Casserly
Paul talks about his favourite shows of 2015, and how impressed he is with Deutschland 83, a new Cold War thriller on Lightbox
===Noon | Midday Report===
=DESCRIPTION=
RNZ news, followed by updates and reports until 1.00pm, including: 12:16 Business News 12:26 Sport 12:34 Rural News 12:43 Worldwatch
=AUDIO=
12:00
Midday News for 10 December 2015
BODY:
The Reserve Bank has cut the cost of borrowing to a record low 2 point 5 percent, and signalled that should be enough. And The finance minister says despite all the rhetoric about early intervention for at-risk children, it is not happening.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 15'03"
12:17
Reserve Bank keeps rates on hold
BODY:
The Reserve Bank says weaker growth in the global economy may yet force its hand, and prompt it to cut interest rates again.
Topics: economy, business
Regions:
Tags: Reserve Bank
Duration: 1'22"
12:18
ANZ Bank expects RBNZ to hold interest rates for some time
BODY:
Most economists had been expecting the cut, but the ANZ Bank was a lone voice, calling on the Reserve Bank to hold steady because of the recent uptick in economic conditions.
Topics: economy, business
Regions:
Tags: ANZ Bank
Duration: 1'23"
12:19
Data reveals slight rise in retail spending
BODY:
Retail spending has nudged up, while consumers are swiping their cards more.
Topics: economy, business
Regions:
Tags: retail
Duration: 1'03"
12:21
Fonterra hopeful of price and demand recovery
BODY:
The dairy co-operative, Fonterra, expects dairy prices will rise over the next few months, but has kept the forecast payout on hold.
Topics: economy, business, farming
Regions:
Tags: Fonterra, dairy
Duration: 1'07"
12:22
ASB shares Fonterra confidence
BODY:
A rural economist says Fonterra has grounds to be cautiously confident about holding its forecast payout for this season.
Topics: economy, business, farming
Regions:
Tags: Fonterra, dairy
Duration: 39"
12:22
Midday Markets for 10 December 2015
BODY:
For the latest from the markets we're joined by James Grigor at Macquarie Private Wealth
Topics: economy, business, farming
Regions:
Tags: markets
Duration: 3'20"
12:25
Business briefs
BODY:
The mobile phone marketing platform, VMob, has reported another five-fold increase in revenue, although the first half loss is bigger than a year ago.
Topics: economy, business
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 33"
12:26
Midday Sports News for 10 December 2015
BODY:
The New Zealand Cricketers have made a good start to the opening test against Sri Lanka in Dunedin.
Topics: sport
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 2'36"
12:34
Midday Rural News for 10 December 2015
BODY:
News from the rural and farming sectors.
Topics: rural, farming
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 8'47"
=SHOW NOTES=
===1:06 PM. | Jesse Mulligan, 1–4pm===
=DESCRIPTION=
An upbeat mix of the curious and the compelling, ranging from the stories of the day to the great questions of our time (RNZ)
=AUDIO=
13:10
First Song
BODY:
Learning To Fly - Tom Petty
Topics: music
Regions:
Tags: Tom Petty
Duration: 4'08"
13:15
YouTube Trending 2015 - Megan Whelan
BODY:
YouTube has released the top-trending videos in New Zealand for 2015. RNZ's community engagement editor, Megan Whelan, is here to talk us through what we've been viewing, sharing and liking.
Topics: internet, media
Regions:
Tags: YouTube, Videos
Duration: 12'14"
13:27
Steve's Christmas Village 2015 - Steve Flaunty
BODY:
For the past couple of years, RNZ has caught up ambitious Chirstmas village maker, Steve Flaunty. Every year, one whole room of his Lower Hutt house is transformed into a miniature Christmas village. His latest creation is ready, up and running.
EXTENDED BODY:
For the past couple of years, RNZ has caught up with ambitious Chirstmas village maker, Steve Flaunty. Every year, one whole room of his Lower Hutt house is transformed into a miniature Christmas village. His latest creation is ready, up and running
Topics: life and society
Regions: Wellington Region
Tags: Christmas, Lower Hutt, Christmas village
Duration: 9'13"
13:36
Indian Motorbike Tour - Steve Krzystyniak
BODY:
He's spent nearly 20 years riding Royal Enfield Bullets throughout India. Steve Krzystyniak is one part owner, operator of Indian Motorcycle Adventures. And he's just wrapped up another year of riding. Steve is with us from Helensville.
Topics: transport
Regions:
Tags: Royal Enfield Bullets, India, Motorbikes
Duration: 7'56"
13:45
Favourite Album
BODY:
Hot August Night - Neil Diamond.
Topics: music
Regions:
Tags: Neil Diamond
Duration: 14'45"
14:08
Personal Finance - Mary Holm
BODY:
Overconfidence and the psychological aspects of investing.
Topics: economy
Regions:
Tags: money, finance, investing
Duration: 22'57"
14:40
Brazilian Food - Barbara Scholten and Marcelo Durello
BODY:
Barbara Scholten and her husband Marcelo Durello came to New Zealand from Brazil eight years ago with 10 suitcases, four kids and no idea of where to start building their life.
Topics: food
Regions:
Tags: Brazilian Food
Duration: 10'49"
15:09
Masterpieces - Keith Skilling
BODY:
Veteran aviator Keith Skilling talks about his favourite aircraft, a Mosquito!
Topics: transport
Regions:
Tags: Airplanes, mosquito
Duration: 13'00"
15:22
The Expats - Jacob Briars
BODY:
Jacob Briars likes to describe himself as New Zealand's 7th most famous bartender.
Topics: food, life and society
Regions:
Tags: Alchohol, Bacardi, expat
Duration: 13'56"
15:46
The Panel pre-show for 10 December 2015
BODY:
What the world is talking about with Paul Brennan, Jim Mora and Zara Potts.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 13'50"
21:06
Lampreys aka 'vampire fish'
BODY:
Lampreys are eel-like jawless fish, related to sharks, that spend their lives in fresh and salt water, and at sea they use their sucker-like mouths to attach to large animals to feed
EXTENDED BODY:
The lamprey twists and writhes as NIWA freshwater scientist Cindy Baker holds its mouth next to the soft skin of her forearm. Then it latches on, using hundreds of small teeth as well as the fleshy sucker that surrounds its small circular mouth. Once it has a good grip Cindy lets go and the eel-like fish just dangles, taking all its own body weight.
Lampreys – or vampire fish as they’re sometimes called – have perfected the art of latching onto large animals at sea, such as fish and whales, and using their sharp teeth to rasp into the flesh to suck out a feed of blood. Cindy doesn't let this particular lamprey linger on her arm for long, before she grabs hold of it firmly and pulls it off with a sucking sound.
But the lamprey has already left its mark: a neat circle of puncture wounds already oozing a little blood. It’s a striking demonstration of how strong and agile New Zealand lampreys can be, as well as how efficient their unusual parasitic feeding style is, and Cindy says they put this to good use when they are migrating.
“They’re amazingly good at jumping out of containers. They have a large sucker mouth that they use to help themselves migrate and they can scale vertical walls. As long as they have a wet surface they’re very adept at climbing up waterfalls and around obstacles in the water.”
Now, in case this sounds like a scary case of ‘coming to a river near you’, we should reassure you and note that this is NOT typical behaviour of a lamprey in freshwater. You will not be attacked by an adult lamprey in a New Zealand stream or river – so, with that reassurance in mind, keep on reading (or listening) to find out why.
While lampreys do have a strong mouth, what they don’t have is any jaws. Along with the fully marine hagfish, they are agnathans, the last two species in an ancient group of jawless animals. And as much as they look like eels they’re more closely related to sharks, skates and rays.
“Lampreys, we believe, have been around for more than 360 million years,” says Cindy. “Which if you think back to the time of the dinosaurs means lampreys were migrating upstream and passing them and carrying on their lifecycle. It’s only been since us humans have intervened that their populations are now starting to decline.”
There is one species of lamprey in New Zealand, the pouched or wide-mouthed lamprey (Geotria australis), which is also found in Australia and South America. There are about 38 species found world-wide - and of these only 18 are parasitic in their feeding style. The most infamous lampreys are the sea lampreys that have become a pest in the Great Lakes system of North America. “You end up with multiple lampreys feeding on each fish in the Great Lakes, and it’s destroying their native fisheries,” says Cindy. This is also where the exaggerated tales of lampreys attacking people come from (and the web is full of such scary stories).
Lampreys are anadromous, which means they are born in freshwater, spend most of their life at sea, and then return to freshwater to spawn. Young lampreys spend about 3-4 years living in the stream or river where they were spawned, hiding amongst the gravel on the stream bottom. They live another three to four years at sea, parasitically feeding on large animals such as fish and whales, and then they return to a stream to spawn.
“Of all the lamprey species the New Zealand species is quite unique in terms of its freshwater breeding and life stage,” says Cindy “Most lamprey species live in freshwater for two to three months before maturing, breeding and dying. Pacific lampreys spend up to a year in freshwater, while our guys spend a year to a year and a half, and during that time they’re not feeding, which is really remarkable.”
During this long period of fasting and gonad development an adult lamprey shrinks to about 70% of the size it was when it returned from sea.
Cindy describes lampreys as ‘mysterious’ and says that we know very little about their basic biology. The NIWA research programme she has been running has focused on locating where the lampreys are spawning, and in testing how lampreys use pheromones, which are chemical signals produced by juvenile and adult lampreys.
Individual lampreys were placed in a 5-metre long flume tank with two parallel channels (a bit like a lamprey lap-pool). Water ran through the flume tank and a control odour was dribbled into one channel and a very dilute pheromone dribbled into the other. The lamprey was then observed remotely to see if it had a preference; each animal was tagged with a small internal PIT tag which was detected by aerials in the flume tank. Lampreys have a single nostril on top of their head and an extremely sensitive sense of smell, and Cindy says the concentrations of pheromones used in the experiments was 5x10-10 (0.0000000005) grams/litre of water (or the equivalent of one teaspoon in 4,000 Olympic size swimming pools).
In October 2013 the researchers found the first lamprey spawning nests ever observed in New Zealand – or the southern hemisphere – in the Okuti River on Banks Peninsula. The researchers found the nest, laid on the underside of a large boulder, by following adults that had been marked with PIT tags the previous year. One nest was being guarded by an adult male, and Cindy suspects this is to do with protecting the developing eggs from eels. This is the first time this guarding behaviour by an adult lamprey has been observed anywhere in the world.
In late 2014 pheromone detectors placed in 12 Auckland streams returned positive results for lampreys in two of them, and a closer search found two juvenile lamprey in the Piha Stream and three in Glen Esk. “They’re not present in huge densities,” says Cindy “but they are definitely there.”
Maori know lampreys as piharau, korokoro or kanakana, and they are prized as a delicacy. There were special traps to catch lamprey in spring, when they are migrating for spawning, although declining numbers of lampreys mean it is not such a common sight on marae dining tables any more. Cindy relied on Maori with good local knowledge of lamprey migrating and breeding behaviour to source the animals used in the pheromone experiments.
The New Zealand Freshwater Fish database is a repository for information about all of New Zealand's freshwater fishes.
Topics: environment, science
Regions:
Tags: lampreys, freshwater fish, fishes, pheromone
Duration: 16'07"
=SHOW NOTES=
1:10 First Song
'Learning To Fly' - Tom Petty
1:17 YouTube Trending 2015 - Megan Whelan
YouTube has released the top-trending videos in New Zealand for 2015. RNZ's community engagement editor, Megan Whelan, is here to talk us through what we've been viewing, sharing and liking.
1:27 Indian Motorbike Tour - Steve Krzystyniak
He's spent nearly 20 years riding Royal Enfield Bullets throughout India. Steve Krzystyniak is one part owner, operator of Indian Motorcycle Adventures. And he's just wrapped up another year of riding. Steve is with us from Helensville.
1:34 Steve's Christmas Village 2015 - Steve Flaunty
For the past couple of years, RNZ has caught up ambitious Chirstmas village maker, Steve Flaunty. Every year, one whole room of his Lower Hutt house is transformed into a miniature Christmas village. His latest creation is ready, up and running.
1:40 Feature Album
Hot August Night - Neil Diamond.
2:10 Personal Finance - Mary Holm
Overconfidence and the psychological aspects of investing.
2:30 A Cook's Tour
Mrs McEldowney aged 87, faces challenges to her independence.
2:40 Food Guests - Barbara Scholten and Marcelo Durello
Barbara Scholten and her husband Marcelo Durello came to New Zealand from Brazil eight years ago with 10 suitcases, four kids and no idea of where to start building their life.
3:10 The Expats - Jacob Briars
Jacob Briars likes to describe himself as New Zealand's 7th most famous bartender.
3:25 Masterpieces - Keith Skilling
Veteran aviator Keith Skilling talks about his favourite aircraft, a Mosquito!
3:30 Our Changing World
Their habit of latching onto unsuspecting whales and fish, and sucking their blood and tissue, has resulted in eel-like lampreys being referred to as 'vampire fish'. Alison Ballance joins NIWA's Cindy Baker to meet a lamprey and find out the truth behind their gruesome reputation.
3:45 The Panel Pre-Show
What the world is talking about with Paul Brennan, Jim Mora and Zara Potts.
===4:06 PM. | The Panel===
=DESCRIPTION=
An hour of discussion featuring a range of panellists from right along the opinion spectrum (RNZ)
=AUDIO=
15:46
The Panel pre-show for 10 December 2015
BODY:
What the world is talking about with Paul Brennan, Jim Mora and Zara Potts.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 13'50"
16:05
The Panel with Lisa Tamati and Joe Bennett (Part 1)
BODY:
What the Panelists Lisa Tamati and Joe Bennett have been up to. The Kauri tree at the centre of a sit-in earlier this year has narrowly escaped the axe again today. Protestor Michael Tavares talks about the latest move. The British government is considering blocking US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from entering the UK because of his inflamatory views about Muslims. A petition has garnered 80,000 signatures calling for boxing champion Tyson Fury from the BBC Sports Persoanlity of the Year Awards. Should returning jihad brides be allowed back into New Zealand? And Business Herald editor Liam Dann talks about why the OCR was cut.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 24'21"
16:06
The Panel with Lisa Tamati and Joe Bennett (Part 2)
BODY:
How bad habits shorten your life. What the Panelists Lisa Tamati and Joe Bennett have been thinking about. Emanuel Kalafetalis discusses the latest Research NZ poll on the Top 10 Events which have impacted New Zealanders in 2015. And what are the most useful things you've learned and where did you learn them?
Topics:
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 26'15"
16:07
The Panel Intro
BODY:
What the Panelists Lisa Tamati and Joe Benett have been up to.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 3'06"
16:10
Titirangi kauri saved again
BODY:
The Kauri tree at the centre of a sit-in earlier this year has narrowly escaped the axe again today. Protestor Michael Tavares talks about the latest move.
Topics: environment
Regions: Auckland Region
Tags: kauri, Tree, Titirangi
Duration: 5'33"
16:16
Possible UK Trump ban
BODY:
The British government is considering blocking US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from entering the UK because of his inflamatory views about Muslims.
Topics: politics
Regions:
Tags: Donald Trump, UK, Ban
Duration: 3'44"
16:20
Call to ban Fury from sports awards
BODY:
A petition has garnered 80,000 signatures calling for boxing champion Tyson Fury from the BBC Sports Persoanlity of the Year Awards.
Topics: sport
Regions:
Tags: Tyson Fury, boxing, Sports Persoanlity of the Year Awards, BBC
Duration: 2'20"
16:22
Jihadi Brides
BODY:
Should returning jihadi brides be allowed back into New Zealand?
Topics: conflict
Regions:
Tags: jihad, marriage
Duration: 3'13"
16:25
OCR cut
BODY:
Business Herald editor Liam Dann talks about why the OCR was cut.
Topics: business, economy
Regions:
Tags: OCR, Business Herald
Duration: 6'15"
16:34
Bad habits
BODY:
How bad habits shorten your life.
Topics: health, life and society
Regions:
Tags: Habits
Duration: 8'26"
16:42
Panel Says
BODY:
What the Panelists Lisa Tamati and Joe Bennett have been thinking about.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 7'15"
16:49
Top 10 influential events of 2015
BODY:
Emanuel Kalafetalis discusses the latest Research NZ poll on the Top 10 Events which have impacted New Zealanders in 2015.
Topics: life and society
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 6'06"
16:55
Our most useful lessons
BODY:
What are the most useful things you've learned and where did you learn them?
Topics: education
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 4'25"
=SHOW NOTES=
===5:00 PM. | Checkpoint===
=DESCRIPTION=
RNZ's two-hour news and current affairs programme
=AUDIO=
17:00
Checkpoint Top Stories for Thursday 10 December 2015
BODY:
Amandeep Kaur laughed as she told her lover "we will go together" during a police interview of the pair - the day after they murdered her husband and New Zealanders are getting fatter, less active and drinking more dangerously.
Topics:
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 23'37"
17:07
Jury finds Davender Singh was murdered by his wife & her lover
BODY:
Amandeep Kaur laughed as she told her lover "we will go together" during a police interview of the pair - the day after they murdered her husband.
Topics: crime
Regions: Auckland Region
Tags: murder, Auckland
Duration: 4'22"
17:12
NZers getting fatter, less active and drinking more dangerously
BODY:
New Zealanders are getting fatter, less active and drinking more dangerously.
Topics: health, food
Regions:
Tags: obesity
Duration: 3'20"
17:15
Teenager arrested in Sydney terror raids
BODY:
A teenage boy and another man, who have both been charged today with terrorist crimes in Sydney, had plans that mentioned the police headquartes - but got the address wrong.
Topics: security, crime
Regions:
Tags: terrorism, Australia, Sydney, police
Duration: 5'02"
17:20
RBNZ cuts OCR to record low 2.5%
BODY:
Help is on the way for mortgage holders and businesses after the Reserve Bank cut the cost of borrowing to a record low 2 point 5 percent.
Topics: economy, business
Regions:
Tags: interest rates, banks
Duration: 2'20"
17:23
Forest fire too dangerous for ground crews
BODY:
A forest fire raging in Marlborough has become so dangerous ground crews have had to pull out.
Topics: environment
Regions: Marlborough
Tags: fire
Duration: 3'09"
17:26
Bigger trucks likely - but will they be made safer?
BODY:
Bigger trucks look likely to be allowed on the roads, but the AA is urging that in return freight companies should be forced to improve the safety of big rigs.
Topics: transport
Regions:
Tags: trucks, The AA
Duration: 2'30"
17:29
SAS to Iraq unlikely - PM
BODY:
The Government will consider America's request to do more in the fight against Islamic State.
Topics: conflict, defence force
Regions:
Tags: America, Islamic State, SAS, Defence
Duration: 2'31"
17:35
Evening Business for 10 December 2015
BODY:
News from the business sector including a market report.
Topics: business, economy
Regions:
Tags:
Duration: 2'06"
17:37
Time running out to vote in first flag referendum
BODY:
The Electoral Commission says anyone who hasn't voted yet in the first flag referendum needs to get a wriggle on.
Topics: politics, identity
Regions:
Tags: Electoral Commission, flag referendum
Duration: 3'06"
17:40
Shell reviews future in New Zealand
BODY:
Shell is considering pulling out of New Zealand.
Topics: business
Regions:
Tags: Shell, oil
Duration: 3'31"
17:43
Climate change talks go into 24 hour mode in Paris
BODY:
Negotiators at the Paris climate change talks are working around the clock to try to settle differences so they can finalise a global deal to slow global warming.
Topics: climate, politics
Regions:
Tags: Paris, COP21
Duration: 2'54"
17:46
Censured councillor in scrap over confidentiality
BODY:
A stoush over confidentiality and leaks at the Marlborough District Council has led to a legal opinion to put a warning shot across councillors' bows.
Topics: politics, law, media
Regions: Marlborough
Tags: Marlborough District Council
Duration: 4'37"
17:51
Smelter pulls support for conservation programme
BODY:
The Aluminimum Smelter has pulled its 25-year-long sponsorship of a landmark conservation programme.
Topics: business, environment
Regions:
Tags: The Aluminimum Smelter, conservation, Kakapo recovery programme, Department of Conservation
Duration: 3'23"
17:57
Chainsaws move in again on Titirangi kauri tree
BODY:
Chainsaws have moved in again on the Titirangi kauri tree that survived the chop when a protestor sat up in it for several nights back in March.
Topics: environment
Regions: Auckland Region
Tags: Titirangi, kauri
Duration: 2'47"
18:05
Sports News for 10 December 2015
BODY:
An update from the team at RNZ Sport.
Topics: sport
Regions:
Tags: cricket, sailing
Duration: 3'33"
18:11
Government announces new cyber security strategy
BODY:
The Government has just announced a national cybercrime plan at the centre of its new cyber security strategy.
Topics: technology, crime
Regions:
Tags: cyber security, cybercrime
Duration: 3'16"
18:15
RBNZ expects to leave interest rates on hold for some time
BODY:
The Reserve Bank governor, Graeme Wheeler, is expecting to leave interest rates at record lows for some time.
Topics: economy
Regions:
Tags: Reserve Bank, interest rates
Duration: 3'11"
18:18
Bariatric surgery improves heart health
BODY:
New Zealanders are getting fatter, less active and drinking more dangerously.
Topics: health
Regions:
Tags: European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
Duration: 4'10"
18:22
Raising the age children can stay in state care discussed
BODY:
A petition to raise the age young people can stay in state care has been delivered to the Social Development Minister, Anne Tolley.
Topics: education, law
Regions:
Tags: Social Development, Child Youth and Family, Sate Care, youth, children
Duration: 2'57"
18:24
Team NZ launches new development AC boat
BODY:
Team New Zealand's America's Cup campaign is back in the water today with the launch of a new development boat.
Topics: sport
Regions:
Tags: sailing, America's Cup
Duration: 2'29"
18:34
Arrests in Sydney counter terrorism raids
BODY:
Two people, including a teenage boy, have been arrested by the Australian Police after counter-terrorism raids in Sydney today.
Topics: security
Regions:
Tags: Australia, terrorism
Duration: 4'37"
18:39
March to add fire to bids for day for land wars
BODY:
Campaigners for a holiday to mark the New Zealand wars hope a national hikoi through major battlefields will add momentum to their cause.
Topics: te ao Maori
Regions:
Tags: New Zealand Wars, Petition
Duration: 2'47"
18:45
Trump hints at abandoning Republicans
BODY:
Donald Trump is hinting that he might abandon America's Republican Party and seek the US presidency as an independent candidate.
Topics: politics
Regions:
Tags: Donald Trump, United States, Republican Party, Islam
Duration: 3'08"
18:48
Silicon Valley short on software engineers
BODY:
America's Silicon Valley, the home of many of the world's largest technology corporations, is suffering from a software engineer shortage.
Topics: technology, business
Regions:
Tags: Silicon Valley, Software Engineers
Duration: 4'08"
=SHOW NOTES=
===7:06 PM. | Nights===
=DESCRIPTION=
Entertainment and information, including: 7:30 At the Movies
=SHOW NOTES=
At The Movies #622. DUMBING DOWN
It's officially the most successful year at the movie box office ever, but have we had to leave our brains at the door? And what happens when we're confronted with award-winning "pure cinema"?
Then this week's reviews:
In the Heart of the Sea - directed by Ron Howard, starring Chris Hemsworth, Brendan Gleeson and Cillian Murphy
[embed] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EGe8sbjrWI
Youth - directed by Paolo Sorrentino, starring Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz and Jane Fonda
[embed] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=185xWcBN3Jk
The Assassin - directed by Hsiao-Hsien Hou, starring Qi Shu and Chen Chang
[embed] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqGvt5hF59U
=AUDIO=
19:30
At The Movies for 10 December 2015
BODY:
On At The Movies, Simon Morris looks at In The Heart Of The Sea, the true story that inspired the classic Moby-Dick. And two Festival favourites - Youth, starring Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel, and one of the big winners at Cannes this year, Taiwan's The Assassin.
Topics: arts
Regions:
Tags: movies
Duration: 23'36"
7:30 At the Movies with Simon Morris: Current film releases and film related topics (RNZ) 8:13 Windows on the World: International public radio features and documentaries 9:06 Our Changing World
=SHOW NOTES=
=AUDIO=
21:00
Past ice loss in Antarctica
BODY:
Victoria University scientists discover that Antarctic glaciers have responded quickly to minor warming in the past.
Topics: science, environment, climate
Regions:
Tags: East Antarctic Ice Sheet, warming, melting, cliamte change
Duration: 8'24"
21:02
Studying earthquake hazards
BODY:
NIWA marine geologist Phil Barnes presents new insights into the tectnic landscapes below borth Canterbury.
Topics: science
Regions:
Tags: Canterbury earthquakes
Duration: 4'51"
21:06
Lampreys aka 'vampire fish'
BODY:
Lampreys are eel-like jawless fish, related to sharks, that spend their lives in fresh and salt water, and at sea they use their sucker-like mouths to attach to large animals to feed
EXTENDED BODY:
The lamprey twists and writhes as NIWA freshwater scientist Cindy Baker holds its mouth next to the soft skin of her forearm. Then it latches on, using hundreds of small teeth as well as the fleshy sucker that surrounds its small circular mouth. Once it has a good grip Cindy lets go and the eel-like fish just dangles, taking all its own body weight.
Lampreys – or vampire fish as they’re sometimes called – have perfected the art of latching onto large animals at sea, such as fish and whales, and using their sharp teeth to rasp into the flesh to suck out a feed of blood. Cindy doesn't let this particular lamprey linger on her arm for long, before she grabs hold of it firmly and pulls it off with a sucking sound.
But the lamprey has already left its mark: a neat circle of puncture wounds already oozing a little blood. It’s a striking demonstration of how strong and agile New Zealand lampreys can be, as well as how efficient their unusual parasitic feeding style is, and Cindy says they put this to good use when they are migrating.
“They’re amazingly good at jumping out of containers. They have a large sucker mouth that they use to help themselves migrate and they can scale vertical walls. As long as they have a wet surface they’re very adept at climbing up waterfalls and around obstacles in the water.”
Now, in case this sounds like a scary case of ‘coming to a river near you’, we should reassure you and note that this is NOT typical behaviour of a lamprey in freshwater. You will not be attacked by an adult lamprey in a New Zealand stream or river – so, with that reassurance in mind, keep on reading (or listening) to find out why.
While lampreys do have a strong mouth, what they don’t have is any jaws. Along with the fully marine hagfish, they are agnathans, the last two species in an ancient group of jawless animals. And as much as they look like eels they’re more closely related to sharks, skates and rays.
“Lampreys, we believe, have been around for more than 360 million years,” says Cindy. “Which if you think back to the time of the dinosaurs means lampreys were migrating upstream and passing them and carrying on their lifecycle. It’s only been since us humans have intervened that their populations are now starting to decline.”
There is one species of lamprey in New Zealand, the pouched or wide-mouthed lamprey (Geotria australis), which is also found in Australia and South America. There are about 38 species found world-wide - and of these only 18 are parasitic in their feeding style. The most infamous lampreys are the sea lampreys that have become a pest in the Great Lakes system of North America. “You end up with multiple lampreys feeding on each fish in the Great Lakes, and it’s destroying their native fisheries,” says Cindy. This is also where the exaggerated tales of lampreys attacking people come from (and the web is full of such scary stories).
Lampreys are anadromous, which means they are born in freshwater, spend most of their life at sea, and then return to freshwater to spawn. Young lampreys spend about 3-4 years living in the stream or river where they were spawned, hiding amongst the gravel on the stream bottom. They live another three to four years at sea, parasitically feeding on large animals such as fish and whales, and then they return to a stream to spawn.
“Of all the lamprey species the New Zealand species is quite unique in terms of its freshwater breeding and life stage,” says Cindy “Most lamprey species live in freshwater for two to three months before maturing, breeding and dying. Pacific lampreys spend up to a year in freshwater, while our guys spend a year to a year and a half, and during that time they’re not feeding, which is really remarkable.”
During this long period of fasting and gonad development an adult lamprey shrinks to about 70% of the size it was when it returned from sea.
Cindy describes lampreys as ‘mysterious’ and says that we know very little about their basic biology. The NIWA research programme she has been running has focused on locating where the lampreys are spawning, and in testing how lampreys use pheromones, which are chemical signals produced by juvenile and adult lampreys.
Individual lampreys were placed in a 5-metre long flume tank with two parallel channels (a bit like a lamprey lap-pool). Water ran through the flume tank and a control odour was dribbled into one channel and a very dilute pheromone dribbled into the other. The lamprey was then observed remotely to see if it had a preference; each animal was tagged with a small internal PIT tag which was detected by aerials in the flume tank. Lampreys have a single nostril on top of their head and an extremely sensitive sense of smell, and Cindy says the concentrations of pheromones used in the experiments was 5x10-10 (0.0000000005) grams/litre of water (or the equivalent of one teaspoon in 4,000 Olympic size swimming pools).
In October 2013 the researchers found the first lamprey spawning nests ever observed in New Zealand – or the southern hemisphere – in the Okuti River on Banks Peninsula. The researchers found the nest, laid on the underside of a large boulder, by following adults that had been marked with PIT tags the previous year. One nest was being guarded by an adult male, and Cindy suspects this is to do with protecting the developing eggs from eels. This is the first time this guarding behaviour by an adult lamprey has been observed anywhere in the world.
In late 2014 pheromone detectors placed in 12 Auckland streams returned positive results for lampreys in two of them, and a closer search found two juvenile lamprey in the Piha Stream and three in Glen Esk. “They’re not present in huge densities,” says Cindy “but they are definitely there.”
Maori know lampreys as piharau, korokoro or kanakana, and they are prized as a delicacy. There were special traps to catch lamprey in spring, when they are migrating for spawning, although declining numbers of lampreys mean it is not such a common sight on marae dining tables any more. Cindy relied on Maori with good local knowledge of lamprey migrating and breeding behaviour to source the animals used in the pheromone experiments.
The New Zealand Freshwater Fish database is a repository for information about all of New Zealand's freshwater fishes.
Topics: environment, science
Regions:
Tags: lampreys, freshwater fish, fishes, pheromone
Duration: 16'07"
21:06
Rocks and fluids
BODY:
University of Auckland structural geologist Julie Rowland is the first woman to win the McKay Hammer for best publication.
Topics: science
Regions:
Tags: geology, gold deposits, minerals, geothermal energy
Duration: 6'02"
21:10
Rocks below the sea
BODY:
GNS Science geologist Stuart Henrys explains how New Zealand will contribute to the International Ocean Discovery Programme.
Topics: science
Regions:
Tags: slow-slip earthquakes, silent earthquakes, Joides Resolution, ocean drilling
Duration: 5'48"
21:20
Wetland wanderings in the Whangamarino
BODY:
Alison Ballance joins freshwater fish expert Stella McQueen in one of New Zealand’s largest bogs – the Waikato’s Whangamarino wetland – in search of fernbirds, spotless crake and mudfish
EXTENDED BODY:
Wetlands are difficult places to work. They are - not surprisingly- wet, muddy, hard to walk through and too often surrounded by an unwelcoming band of exotic vegetation such as blackberry and crack willows. And the wildlife that makes its home in wetlands is equally challenging: often small, dark and cryptic.
As part of its Arawai Kakariki wetland programme, the Department of Conservation is carrying out research in three major wetland complexes: Whangamarino wetland in the Waikato, Ō Tū Wharekai in Canterbury, and in New Zealand’s largest wetland, the Awarua-Waituna Wetlands in Southland. One objective is to carry out predator trapping to help protect threatened birds, and another objective is to develop ways of monitoring said birds.
This is where Stella McQueen comes in. Stella is a self-described native fish geek. She is the author of A Photographic Guide to Freshwater Fishes of New Zealand (New Holland 2013) and The New Zealand Native Freshwater Aquarium (Wet Sock Publications 2010), a regular correspondent on matters fishy during Nights with Bryan Crump, and also maintains the NZ Native Fish page on Facebook.
During the summer she works on various freshwater contracts, one of which is the spring-time monitoring of cryptic birds in the Whangamarino wetland. DOC wants to know if its predator trapping, which targets rats and mustelids, is benefiting the local populations of fernbird, spotless crake and bittern. The protocol is to spend five-minutes at pre-determined spots along a series of transect lines at different sites in the swamp, listening for fernbird calls. Then she plays spotless crake calls, in an effort to stimulate any nearby birds to reply. Bitterns are detected using recorders that are programmed to record at various times at dawn, dusk and during the night.
I joined Stella for an afternoon listening for fernbirds and spotless crakes - and we did manage to hear one spotless crake churring, and a pair of fernbirds dueting with each other. Stella had also put out small fish traps, called minnow traps, overnight, and these caught a number of small black mudfish, a threatened Galaxid species which is one of five species of mudfish New Zealand.
Stella says that one of the distinguishing features of New Zealand’s native fish is their lack of scales. The mudfish are also able to survive periods out of the water; they are able to gulp air and absorb it through the lining of their mouth.
Black mudfish are found from the Waikato northwards, and have a threat status of ‘at risk – declining’. As well as declining water quality in the wetland due to nutrient and sediment run-off from surrounding farmland, pest fish are a problem, especially Gambusia (also known as mosquito fish) and koi carp.
Wetlands are some of New Zealand’s most threatened habitats. More than 90% of our wetlands have been drained or filled.
Other wetland stories that have featured on Our Changing World include the ecology of Waituna Lagoon, flipping lakes, and monitoring the quality of stream water flowing into Waituna lagoon.
Topics: environment, science
Regions: Waikato
Tags: black mudfish, native fish, wetlands, conservation, Department of Conservation
Duration: 10'24"
21:30
Lichen Quartet - a poem
BODY:
Poet Janis Freegard reads 'Lichen Quartet' from her poetry book 'The Glass Rooster' (AUP 2015)
EXTENDED BODY:
Janis Freegard's poetry book 'The Glass Rooster' was published by AUP in 2015, and included a number of poems on scientific and natural history topics.
We have previously featured her poems Albatross and Neutrinos.
We have featured a variety of books on Our Changing World in 2015 including:
'Adventures in the Anthropocene' by Gaia Vince
'The Fishes of New Zealand' by Andrew Stewart et al (Te Papa Press 2015)
'James Hector: explorer, scientist, leader' by Simon Nathan (Potton and Burton 2015).
Topics: books, environment
Regions:
Tags: poetry, Janis Freegard, lichen, plant, poems
Duration: 1'30"
21:34
Stories hidden in rocks
BODY:
In this wrap of the Geoscience Society of New Zealand's annual conference, we explore what rocks tell us about our changing world.
EXTENDED BODY:
For their 2015 conference, the Geoscience Society of New Zealand chose the theme Zealandia in Space and Time, to explore many aspects of how our planet works. From natural hazards to natural resources, and from plate tectonics to climate, geologists are uncovering the stories hidden in rocks.
One of the highlights was research that reveals that Antarctic glaciers have retreated rapidly in the past, and that all it took was a minor climate warming.
A team led by Richard Jones, a postdoctoral research fellow at Victoria University, collected and analysed rocks from different elevations along the Mackay Glacier, which drains the massive East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS).
The EAIS has long been thought more stable than the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, where the melting of several glaciers has now reached the point of no return, according to a NASA study published last year. This research adds evidence that the EAIS is not a sleeping giant, but has in the past responded quickly to warming.
The chemical analysis of the rocks the team collected shows the Mackay Glacier retreated and thinned rapidly about 7000 years ago, and the retreat continued for several centuries.
Richard Jones says the rate of retreat was similar to that seen today in glaciers in West Antarctica, where satellite observations show the ice sheet is thinning in response to a warming ocean, and losing more than 150 cubic kilometres of ice each year.
Quite a few of the outlet glaciers of the Antarctic ice sheet are thinning rapidly and are theorised to undergo massive changes in ice loss.
Andrew Mackintosh, who is part of the research team, says the results provide the first geological evidence for the potential of runaway ice loss in Antarctica, triggered by what scientists describe as marine ice sheet instability.
Before Richard’s study, we had theory about how ice sheets might respond and we had computer models that encapsulate this theory, but we had no direct geological evidence that this had occurred in the past.
You can read the full story here or listen to the interview:
First woman to win McKay Hammer
During the conference, the Geoscience Society awards several prizes, including the McKay Hammer for the best publication.
This year’s winner is University of Auckland structural geologist Julie Rowland, better known among colleagues as JR, who is the first woman to win the award in its 59-year history.
The paper she received the award for is the result of research in which she investigated active geothermal areas in the Taupo area to use them as analogues for the deposition of gold in areas such as the Coromandel.
In the Taupo Volcanic Zone we have water that could be 250 degrees Celsius, coming up from depth, and when it’s hot like that it carries with it solutes or dissolved metals and other bits and pieces. And as that water comes up from depth, maybe 6 km down, it cools, its pressure changes, and it may, if the circumstances are right, drop out gold and silver.
She says her overarching interest is in broken rocks.
“I like to understand rocks and how they break under some sort of tectonic forcing. What I really want to get at is how the fluid that I might be interested in – it could be hot water carrying gold, but it could be molten rock or magma – how it moves through the crust, either for the purpose of making a geothermal energy recourse, or a gold deposit, or some sort of hazards application."
Understanding earthquake hazards
Many presentations at the conference focused on earthquake hazards. NIWA marine geologist Phil Barnes presented new insights into the tectonic landscapes of North Canterbury and the structural context of the Canterbury earthquakes.
He says the Canterbury earthquake sequence ignited an extensive geoscience response, focused on charting the crustal structure of north Canterbury.
The active faults in that area are hiding under the Canterbury Plains, so we have to use remote sensing techniques like looking at interpretations of gravity or seismic reflection data. This allows us to look at the structure and faulting of the rocks beneath the Canterbury Plains.
He says the Canterbury earthquakes happened at the further edge of the plate boundary zone in the South Island, a wide faulting zone that extends from Westland to Canterbury and is characterised by what geologists call crustal shortening, “where the region is undergoing compression in a north-west orientation”
“The result of that is that for the last million or two years the north Canterbury region has experienced faults that have become active again in an area where there were very old faults in the basement rocks already. The development of new faults and reactivated faults trough the north Canterbury area led to quite a wide spectrum of active faulting that we now see hidden away under the seafloor and the Canterbury Plains themselves."
Studying rocks under the sea
New Zealand geoscientists are part of the international Ocean Discovery Programme, a major global initiative to explore earth below the sea and to study the history and dynamics of our planet.
GNS Science geologist Stuart Henrys explains how New Zealand will contribute by investigating silent earthquakes under the seafloor east of Gisborne when the ocean drilling ship Joides Resolution arrives in our waters in 2018.
The expedition is expected to last two months, and it will be the first undersea drilling project anywhere in the world aimed specifically at understanding the mechanisms of slow-slip quakes.
Three drill sites up to 1.5km deep are planned: one on the subducting Pacific Plate, another where the plate boundary surfaces at the seafloor, and a third on the overriding plate directly above the area of slow-slip, about 40km east of Gisborne.
Stuart Henrys says silent earthquakes, also known as slow-slip events, are similar to an earthquake in that they involve more rapid than normal movement between two pieces of the earth’s crust along a fault line.
However, in a normal earthquake the slip occurs in a matter of seconds, suddenly releasing seismic energy, whereas slip in a silent earthquake can take weeks or even months to occur.
Topics: science, environment, climate
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Tags: Geoscience 2015, Geoscience Society of New Zealand, earthquakes, volcanoes, ocean drilling, Antarctica, glaciers, ice loss, climate change
Duration: 25'37"
9:06 Our Changing World: Science and environment news from NZ and the world (RNZ)
=AUDIO=
19:10
Dr Heiko Wittmer - The Vampire Squirrel
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Conservation biologist from Wellington's Victoria University on the search for the rare and elusive, very bushy-tailed, 'vampire' squirrel which lives in the rainforests of Borneo.
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There has been a search going on for the rare, elusive, very bushy-tailed and blood thirsty 'vampire' squirrel, which lives in the jungles of Borneo.
Dead deer and chickens have been found nearby with only their hearts and livers eaten, some locals believe the squirrel did it.
Conservation biologist from Victoria University of Wellington Dr. Heiko Wittmer has been on the squirrel's trail.
He talks to Bryan Crump about this mysterious creature and the video he captured of it.
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Duration: 21'07"
20:59
Conundrum clue 7
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Conundrum clue 7.
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Duration: 08"
21:35
Jazz with Fergus Barrowman
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Tonight we hear from Anthony de Mare, Waxwing, Mike Nock & Roger Manins, plus Wynton Marsalis.
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Duration: 21'25"
21:59
Conundrum clue 8
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Conundrum clue 8.
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Duration: 31"
=SHOW NOTES=
NIGHTS on RNZ National
with skipper. Bryan Crump & navigator. Robyn Rockgirl Walker
On the show tonight (Thursday)...
7:12 THE MYTH OF THE VAMPIRE SQUIRREL
the search for the rare and elusive, very bushy-tailed 'vampire' squirrel, which lives in the rainforests of Borneo - with Dr. Heiko Wittmer, conservation biologist from Victoria University of Wellington
7:35 At the Movies
> movie reviews and film industry news with Simon Morris
8:12 Windows on the World - Trucking Women Behind the Big Wheel
> international public radio documentaries
8:43 The Cultural Ambassadors - JAZZ
jivester, editor and publisher Fergus Barrowman on the sizzle and pop of a snazzy beat... Anthony de Mare, Waxwing plus Mike Nock & Roger Manins...
roster: Kate Mead (Contemporary Classical Music); Adrian Kinnaird (Comics & Graphic Novels); Miles Buckingham (Jamaican Music); Cliff Fell (Poetry); Kirsten Zemke (Hip Hop); Andrew Todd (Video Games); Fergus Barrowman (Jazz); Leilani Unasa (Pasifika); Paul Berrington (Electronic Music); & Chris Jannides (Dance)
8:59 conundrum clue 7
9:07 Our Changing World
> science, environment and medical research in New Zealand labs and out in the field
9:59 conundrum clue 8
10:17 Late Edition
> a round up of today's RNZ News and feature interviews as well as Date Line Pacific from RNZ International
11:07 The Eleventh Hour: Music 101 pocket edition
> a condensed version of RNZ National's Music 101 with Emma Smith
... nights' time is the right time...
===10:00 PM. | Late Edition===
Late Edition for 10 December 2015
New Zealand's government announces a new internet security strategy and agency, CERT; Bill English outs the at-risk areas where young adults live; Nine to Noon goes for baroque, and; Dateline Pacific takes us to the semi-permeable border between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
=DESCRIPTION=
RNZ news, including Dateline Pacific and the day's best interviews from RNZ National
===11:06 PM. | Music 101===
=DESCRIPTION=
Music, interviews, live performances, behind the scenes, industry issues, career profiles, new, back catalogue, undiscovered, greatest hits, tall tales - with a focus on NZ (RNZ)