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| June 2003 |
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Canty mudfish at university
A section of Okeover Stream in a secluded area
of the University of Canterbury campus has been
reshaped and restored as a habitat for the rare
Canterbury mudfish. The City Council has been working on the
stream project with university staff and students. The section being worked on is in the north-west
corner of the campus, just above Engineering
Road. The stream’s new meandering course, deep pools,
reactivated groundwater springs and vegetation will
help the mudfish. The small, hardy fish is found in
spring-fed streams which contain deep pools
and abundant aquatic and wetland margin plants. Aquatic vegetation is important because mudfish
lay eggs on leaves and stems. Creative use of engineering structures such as
gabions (wire baskets filled with river stones) to
line the pools will provide refuge for the mudfish. It will take time for the habitat to naturalise so the
mudfish will be introduced when there is enough
food and shelter for them. |