Page 57 - 2008 NZ Subantarctic Islands

postulated theory for the starvations maybe a phenomenon

impervious to any DOC actions: the perceived southern migration
of the Southern Convergence. This convergence is responsible for

a huge upwelling of nutrients from the sea bottom and it has sat
in the territory of these SubAntarctic Islands. If the Convergence is

moving south through natural occurrence, human beings are
probably not going to be able to change the direction.

Despite these dismal numbers for the sea lions, there are other
success stories on Enderby besides the albatross. The brown teal

is making a comeback here and we were lucky enough to see a
couple of them on a peaty bog lake as we circumambulated the

island. The cormorants are doing well too as are the giant petrels
on the island. We were lucky enough to see a large giant petrel

chick on its nest during our walk, a gray furball huddled away
from the wind under the low growing plant. So we did not leave
this enchanted island unduly depressed. But we do trust that

there is hope for the wonderful sea lions.

Chapter 12. Snare's Island

This island is north of Enderby, so you can tell that we are sailing

back closer and closer to the New Zealand mainland islands. DOC
has a big responsibility in this island group because it is the only

forested one of the SubAntarctic islands that has never been
invaded by any alien species of mammals, not even mice! Though

DOC cannot claim that its efforts created this edenic environment,
it must work to keep the island pristine. Thus, visitors are no
longer allowed to land on this bit of granite. Only researchers and

scientists can walk its territory. We visited it anyway—by Zodiacs.
Of course, we never got off them, but these useful craft could get

us close to the land where we could observe the antics of the

57