Mass Wildlife Death at Pukepuke Lagoon Sparks Urgent Iwi-Led Environmental Investigation

An iwi-led investigation has been launched after "devastating" mass wildlife deaths at Manawatū's Pukepuke Lagoon, linked to groundwater extraction and drainage.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 15, 2026, 4:10 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

Unprecedented Ecological Collapse in Manawatū

The discovery of thousands of dead and dying taonga species has sent shockwaves through the Himatangi and Tangimoana communities. While Pukepuke Lagoon has historically experienced lower water levels during summer months, Rangitāne o Manawatū Settlement Trust CEO Debbie Te Puni described the current mass mortality as unprecedented. The sight of the dry lakebed, strewn with the remains of aquatic life, was reported to authorities on Thursday by the Horizons Regional Council, prompting an immediate emergency response.

The scale of the loss is particularly significant given the cultural value of the species involved. Iwi leaders emphasized that these are not merely biological specimens but taonga (treasures) that have sustained their ancestors for generations. In response to the crisis, a rāhui (temporary ritual prohibition) has been placed over the area to allow for spiritual healing and undisturbed investigation.

Historical Drainage and Groundwater Pressures

The crisis at Pukepuke is being viewed by local Māori leaders not as a natural phenomenon, but as the result of a century of environmental mismanagement. Pahia Turia, chairperson of Te Rūnanga o Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa, challenged the narrative that the lakebed drying up is a normal occurrence, noting that ancestral oral histories contain no records of such events. Instead, he pointed to the extensive drainage of significant lakes over the last 100 years to facilitate European-style settler farming as a primary driver.

The lagoon’s physical footprint has shrunk dramatically over the last century due to land use changes. Prior to the introduction of large-scale farming and drainage, the lagoon covered approximately 162 hectares. By the 1930s, that area had been slashed to 49 hectares, and since 1940, it has dwindled to a mere 15 hectares. This significantly reduced volume makes the ecosystem far more vulnerable to modern pressures like groundwater bores and shifting climate cycles.