July 2025 Conference Report Back

WReNNZ Conference Report Back July 2025

Written by Bev Wilkinson – WReNNZ Committee Member

The WReNNZ conference took place at the Auckland Zoo on the weekend of 12-13 July.

We had 29 attendees, which included online registrations.

Attendance was lower than in previous years, but enthusiasm and participation remained high.

All committee members attended, facilitating knowledge sharing and productive breakout discussions.

Thank you to the Auckland Zoo and Mikaylie, once again, for allowing us to use the conference room and facilities at NZCCM (New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine.

Pauline Nijman, WReNNZ chairperson, led the conference and delivered presentations that provided clear and concise information, particularly on topics related to HPAI.

Thank you to our speakers—Pauline Nijman, Mikaylie Wilson, Annemieke Kregting, Brian Robertson, Tracie Poole, Karen Saunders, Lynn Miller, Marlene Verhoeven, Michelle Bradshaw, Baujke Lenting (MPI), and Rachel Stanyer (DOC), who addressed attendees' questions on HPAI.

Mikaylie took us on her journey to the Galapagos Islands and the fieldwork she has been involved with in understanding how the tortoises had impacted on the Santa Fe Islands ecosystem.

Right from trip preparation to all-in-one bathing/washing clothes/toileting and recreational swimming areas, Mikaylie brought a few giggles to the group and left us all a bit flabbergasted with the day-to-day mitigation of keeping rats away from food and sleeping area. The rats are protected, so no trapping.

This means the toilet door is closed

Brian Robertson's topic was “Wildlife in Construction.” Brian is a Chartered Professional Civil Engineer with 40 years experience in civil construction and management. Brian was able to bring a lot of information to the group, especially around the Mt.Messenger Bypass project that had prompted recent changes to the Wildlife Act. Mt.Messenger is an area known for its diverse and protected wildlife. The good news is that most large constructors are conservation-minded and have no interest in trashing our environment.

There were some great pictorial examples that showed work being done on two significant construction projects in New Zealand and the utmost care that was being taken to protect waterways, wetlands and wildlife.

I think I can speak on behalf of all who were at the conference, that Marlene Verhoeven’s presentation on Compassion Fatigue was just fantastic.

Marlene is a clinical psychologist and, after hours, is a passionate bird rescuer at Hunua Birdlife in South Auckland.

Compassion fatigue is a state experienced by people helping those in distress. When we become so immersed in the suffering of others, it becomes overwhelming and can cause secondary traumatic stress. One of our long-serving bird rehabbers Annemieke, is a true testament to burnout, and it was fabulous to also listen to her stories and how she came out the other side.

All the speakers and topics were invaluable.

The HPAI discussions and breakout groups were sometimes overwhelming, but I learned a lot. My main messages were:-

What are we trying to achieve?
How can we manage the risk?
Feeling overwhelmed? Keep coming back to the purpose: “KEEP IT OUT”
Preparedness is key.

A reminder that WReNNZ HPAI documents can be found on our website. Available to everyone.

The annual AGM was held on Sunday the 13th.

Mikaylie Wilson, Annemieke Kregting, and Janelle Ward have resigned from the WReNNZ committee but remain available for support. We welcome new members Kylie Martin (Raglan Native Bird Rehabilitation), Richard Sim (Hamilton Zoo), and Celine Campana (Auckland Zoo).

Thank you to the committee members for organising this event—it requires significant effort. The next conference date and location will be announced in due course. Our original date conflicted with sporting events, affecting accommodation availability

We're here for one another—reach out if you need support.

MEMBER'S LOG IN