The couple protecting Kaikoura's precious banded dotterels

A couple with a shared love of conservation have devoted the last seven years to protecting the banded dotterel living on the shores of Kaikoura. The birds nest on the sand, making them particularly vulnerable to predators - especially cats - as well as tide and storm surges, and disturbance from people who can't spot the well-camouflaged birds. Dotterels, or tuturiwhatu, are critically endangered, with numbers estimated to be around 19,000 nationally. Ailsa McGilvary-Howard and her husband Ted Howard spend their time monitoring the nests and eggs, trapping predators, researching and tracking flightpaths, advocating for cat containment, and much more. Last year, the pair were honoured with a Queen's Service Medal for their conservation work.