Kimberley Collins is a wildlife advocate who works for environmental group Forest and Bird. She writes about the dire situation left for birds and animals following Monday's magnitude-7.8 earthquake.
When I think of my holidays in Kaikoura, I am reminded of the wildlife. Of watching fur seal pups swim and play, seeing seabirds sailing along the coast, and the exhilarating moment when a whale pops up from the ocean's depths.
This earthquake has been disastrous for the people of Kaikoura. But it has also been bad news for wildlife in the region. For some of our more endangered species, a natural disaster of this magnitude is the last thing they need.
The earthquake will do nothing to help the Hutton's Shearwaters low population (NZ Birds Online / Facebook)
The earthquake has been bad news for Hutton's Shearwaters, after it caused a landslide that may have killed around 25,000 breeding pairs.
Half of the largest colony at Kowhai River appears to have been wiped out, but scientists have always known these sites are at risk of a massive geological event.
In 2016, Forest & Bird's report on Important Bird Areas in New Zealand identified geological events as a risk that could wipe out 10-49 percent of the colony. The impact would depend on the time of year and whether the birds were breeding. Unfortunately the quake hit when the birds were on eggs meaning at least one adult on each egg will have been killed.
Aerial surveys will be needed urgently to confirm the damage and develop plans to protect the remaining nesting birds from the threat of predators like pigs, which eat adult birds and their chicks.
It's a devastating loss for this already threatened species, which the Kaikoura community has rallied to protect from the threat of introduced predators and habitat loss. But thankfully the other two colonies weren't affected, giving hope this vulnerable species could bounce back.
The Ohau Stream nursery off SH1 was popular with tourists (File)
Up the coast from Kaikoura, the seal sanctuary at Ohau Point has been covered by another landslide caused by the quake.
Any seals on the rocks below would have been killed, but thankfully it's not breeding season and many will have been foraging for food at sea.
Across the road from the coastal colony, there is concern for Ohau stream where fur seal pups use a waterfall to swim, play and socialise, attracting thousands of tourists ever year.
After being born on the coast in summer, some pups make their way up the river to wait for their mothers to return from fishing trips.
It is not yet known whether this waterfall and walkway sustained any damage. But we can only hope this wonderful tourist destination and habitat has remained unscathed.
Humpback whales are often spotted off Kaikoura's coast (iStock)
With whales playing such an important role in Kaikoura's tourism industry, it's only natural for people to wonder whether they would have been affected by the earthquake.
The earthquakes will have caused underwater landslides and changes to the seabed. It's not yet known what long-term effects these will have on the ecosystems that support the whale species that live in the area.
Kaikoura's underwater canyon is a productive area. It provides food that brings many deep water species close to shore. Sperm whales are most commonly seen by tourists, but visit in higher numbers during summer so fewer animals will have been around at the time of the quake.
