Last week Robert Webb called. It wasn’t good news.
Two weeks earlier we’d seen how the Whangarei Native Bird Rescue Centre was trying to save a tiny kiwi. It had been found in a farm paddock, starving and dehydrated because of the drought gripping the North Island.
The little kiwi died last week.
Despite the best efforts of Robert, and the volunteers at the centre, it couldn’t be saved. While it had been active until its death, an autopsy showed that it had suffered from a genetic disorder that prevented it from eating properly. Even without the effects of the drought, it wouldn’t have made it to adulthood.
It was sad news to receive, but it was tempered by news of some success.
The centre had also been caring for two other juvenile kiwi that had been found struggling in the dry conditions, and the good news was they were both continuing to do well. So well, that one of them would soon be released into a pest-free sanctuary near Whangarei. Those safe surrounds would mean the tiny birds could grow without the threat of predation, until large enough to be released back into the wild.
Animals live, and animals die. That’s nature. But human interference, habitat loss and the introduction of predatory mammals has devastated the populations of birds such as kiwi. Put simply, our native birds are taking a hammering.
These are animals that could do with some help, so it’s comforting to know there are people throughout the country working to keep unnecessary deaths to a minimum. They do it every day, on their own time, with their own money, for little recognition.
Some birds don’t survive. But thanks to the on-going efforts of some admirable people, others do.
And that’s good news.
3 News
source: newshub archive
