DOC is calling for information after a juvenile kea was shot in the wing in Golden Bay and had to be euthanised due to its injuries.
Kea are an endangered native parrot and one of the most intelligent birds in the world. They are a protected species found along the mountain ranges of the South Island, including down to the coast.
In Golden Bay, kea numbers are steadily increasing, and people are having to learn to live alongside these inquisitive birds.
Department of Conservation Tākaka Biodiversity Ranger Luke Easton says because kea are so curious, they can stick their beak into things you would rather they didn’t.
“We don’t want to see conflict between kea and people like what has happened here.
“The big one is to make sure there’s no food available to them – this includes pet food or unsecured compost and rubbish bins. One taste of food can change their behaviour long-term – instead of foraging in the wild like they should be, they may start hanging around people and scrounging for food.”
Luke says we can live with kea by making our properties more boring for them and removing any lead like roofing nails, which kea like the taste of but get poisoned by.
“It’s important to secure loose items like shoes, bikes, toys and tools which kea may want to play with, especially during their most active times like dawn and dusk.
“We’re lucky to see these charismatic birds popping up in coastal Golden Bay, and as their numbers rise, we’ll see them in backyards more often, so we need to learn to live alongside them.
