Kea In the News
This page will keep you up to date with present news articles relating to kea.
Pre-2011 articles are posted on our Past News page.
If you come across any items that we have not included on our site, please contact us so that we may upload it.
2012 News Articles
2011 News Articles
Kea declining at Nelson Lakes?
Nelson Mail
8 February 2011
The population of kea in the Nelson Lakes National Park has shown a steep decine with realistic fears the bird is being decimated by predators such as possum, stoat and rats. Lead poisoning is also contributing to the birds vulunerability, Kea Conservation Trust chairwoman Tamsin Orr-Walker said. In a thorough search over 14,000 hectares and encompassing 50 survey points in January, only two fledglings were found from three potential breeding pairs. This compares with 10 fledglings a year from 11 breeding pairs found during a six year study conducted in the 1990's; the area surveyed then was only half the size of the most recent study.
" There is definitely a lot of concern that kea may be on the way out in this area which would be an absolute tragedy" Ms Orr-Walker said.
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Nail removal helps kea survive
MATTHEW LITTLEWOOD
24 June 2011
Keas in the Mackenzie Basin will have to worry less about lead poisoning, thanks to an unlikely Department of Conservation venture.
The department has been performing maintenance work on its huts, and with the help of contractor Colin McArthur Building, it has removed all the lead-head nails from three of the uppermost huts within Dobson Valley, Ruataniwha Conservation Park, to help the kea survive.
Twizel DOC ranger Dean Nelson said there was strong evidence that keas liked to gnaw on the lead nails.
"We have seen them chew on these nails, and there have been toxicology reports of keas where their blood shows a surprisingly high concentration of lead," he said. "We were performing maintenance work on the three high-country huts anyway, so we felt this would be something we could do at the same time."
Mr Nelson said DOC did not have up-to-date kea numbers in the region.
"I understand the Kea Conservation Trust is in the midst of a nationwide survey, but we have received reports from local farmers that there haven't been as many around as there have been in the past," he said.
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DOC shocked five kea shot dead
By Paul Harper
Updated 8:23 AM Wednesday Aug 17, 2011
Department of Conservation is investigating the shooting deaths of five kea dumped near Arthur's Pass.
Five kea dumped near Arthur's Pass had been shot, the Department of Conservation says.
An initial pathology report from Massey University said evidence pointed to the use of an air-rifle and a shotgun to kill the five kea.
The birds were found piled up on a picnic table at Klondyke Corner in Arthur's Pass on Monday morning last week.
DOC field centre supervisor, Chris Stewart, was appalled by the incident and have referred the matter to the police.
"Kea are endangered and their wild population could be as low as 1000 birds," Mr Stewart said.
"The results also showed that all five animals were young and healthy and could have gone on to contribute to future generations of the species."
The full report will not be available until later this week but the initial results will assist the police and DOC with their ongoing investigation.
Under the Wildlife Act, it is a criminal offence to kill kea. Offenders could face a $100,000 fine or six months in prison.
The incident occurred in the same week that a dead kea was dumped on the driveway of a DOC staff member on the West Coast. Early indications are that the bird was also shot and this case has been referred to the police.
Anyone who was in the area around Klondyke Corner over the weekend of August 6 and 7 are asked to ring the police, the 0800 DOCHOTline (0800 36 24 68) or the Arthur's Pass Field Centre.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10745619
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DOC takes steps to prevent kea losses
Date: 09 September 2011
DOC says it will be looking at ways to further protect kea after the discovery of seven dead birds following a recent 1080 pest control operation on the West Coast.
Tests are currently being carried out on the birds to confirm initial indications that they have died from eating poison baits.
DOC's Franz Josef Waiau Area Manager, Wayne Costello said, "It is very disappointing to lose any kea. We know they are inquisitive birds but believed that a new baiting protocol would be successful in keeping kea safe. DOC will now be assessing the results and taking them into account for future operations."
The seven dead birds were among a total of thirty eight kea that were fitted with radio transmitters as part of a four year programme to assess the risks and benefits of 1080 operations on kea populations. The local DOC team is checking but so far no other bird species have been found dead.
The aerial 1080 possum control operation involved three years of planning and was jointly run by the Animal Health Board and DOC. The operation covered 30,000 ha which included the South Ökärito kiwi sanctuary, North Ökärito forest, and a large forested buffer zone around Franz Josef township itself. The operation is intended to provide New Zealand's rarest kiwi - rowi - protection from rats, stoats and possums as well as providing protection to local farms from the threat of bovine tuberculosis.
"Tracking work shows up to 60 percent of kea nests are attacked by predators. This research programme also involves monitoring nests through the current breeding season to assess whether safer conditions for kea chicks outweigh the risks to individual birds," said Mr. Costello.
Wayne Costello says DOC will be looking to see if there are any specific circumstances in this operation which may have led to the bird deaths. It seems likely that the more open nature of the North Ökärito forest is a factor.
He said the work was part of on-going research into ways of minimising the impact of 1080 operations on kea. That is why we are looking into the use of baits that are less palatable to them and doing further work on bird repellents.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/news/media-releases/doc-takes-steps-to-prevent-kea-losses/
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Kea ‘gangs’ breaking into DOC predator control traps
Otago Daily Times
By Lucy Ibbotson - 20 Sep 2011
“Department of Conservation staff are being outsmarted by "gangs" of mischievous juvenile keas intent on breaking into predator control traps in the West Matukituki Valley, despite heightened security systems aimed at keeping them out. Concerns were raised last summer about gangs of young keas interfering with the West Matukituki Valley predator control traps. More than 75% of traps had been sprung.
Traps near the Aspiring Hut were sprung by the boxes being rocked and rotated and in some cases, rolled away. The problem was first thought to be caused by human interference, but hut wardens then observed keas interfering with the traps.
The trap boxes were subsequently secured to the ground, which initially alleviated the problem.
However, footage was recorded last week by Doc staff showing determined keas working hard to crack the new security measures to steal the eggs inside, set up as predator bait.
Last year, the Fiordland kea population was reported to be demonstrating regular tool-using behaviour, after being observed getting long sticks and poking them through the 50mm square entrance holes of stoat boxes, to spring the traps inside.”
To see the footage of kea figuring out the newly secured traps follow this link to You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC8dInFQTtg
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George – the curious kea
Keith Lynch - 12 Oct 2011
A kea will be returned to the wild today after being nursed back to health from a bout of blood poisoning. George, a four-year-old kea, was found vomiting early last month by Conservation Department ranger Paddy Moran near Arthur's Pass.
Moran contacted Christchurch vet Pauline Howard, who took care of the bird at the Hornby Veterinary Centre.
Tests showed possible kidney damage, and blood sent to Massey University showed George's lead levels were off the chart.
The bird was kept in the veterinary centre during the day. At night he stayed in Howard's bathroom, which was now "a little worse for wear".
"Everyone at the centre became very capable kea holders, and so did Peter, my husband, and Andrew, my 18-year-old son," she said.
"Because Peter was bitten, he had the privilege of naming the kea George."
Lead paint, nails, roof lashings or discarded batteries were possible sources of the poisoning.
"Young male birds are at greatest risk of lead poisoning as they congregate in areas were humans live and play in the high country – places where lead is most likely to be available," Howard said.
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Volunteers helping cheeky keas go lead-free
By Marjorie Cook - Otago Daily Times - December 3, 2011
Cardrona singer-songwriter Martin Curtis had been entertaining school children with kea stories for years before he learned about the Kea Conservation Trust and its drive to save the endangered bird.
Then, earlier this year, a trust member approached Mr Curtis following a recital of his Tale of Two Keas.
A film of his performance is now destined for the trust's website and Mr Curtis is also supporting the trust's lead-nail replacement programme this week by carrying out roof maintenance at the New Zealand Alpine Club's 79-year-old Cascade hut in the West Matukituki Valley.
Scientists say the birds eat the soft lead nails, which is a problem, as lead is toxic to the birds.
Recent tests on the Mt Aspiring National Park population by an Otago University student returned normal blood tests, but the trust says it is important to act rather than wait for birds to die.
Keas were hunted until protective laws were passed in the 1980s. Just 5000 are said to exist in the world - all in the South Island - and the trust believes numbers are reducing.
"I just think they are wonderful birds. They've supposedly been proved by scientists to be the most intelligent bird in the world. You can see it in their faces, thinking 'What can I do now'," Mr Curtis said.
His poem tells of the experience of a climber who banged a broom on a hut ceiling to quieten two keas on the roof. The birds then dangled upside down and peered through the window to check on the commotion inside.
While Mr Curtis believes few keas now visit the Cascade hut, the Department of Conservation has noticed a new gang of trouble-making juveniles at the nearby Aspiring hut, where they enjoy chewing on bicycle tyres or setting off stoat traps.
The inquisitive native parrots also try to steal from tourists at Rob Roy Glacier.
Doc biodiversity ranger Flo Gaud said while Mt Aspiring keas seemed unaffected by lead, birds at Mt Cook and Arthurs Pass had been poisoned. The reasons why were not entirely clear but Doc and the Kea Conservation Trust had decided to work together to replace old nails in all South Island tramping huts.
Wanaka Placemakers donated the new nails being used by Mr Curtis and his fellow roofer, Kenny Lang.
"In all the new huts, there are no more lead nails whatsoever... what Martin is doing is amazing. I hope if any other people are keen to do something similar, they contact the Kea Conservation Trust," Ms Gaud said.
People could also help by not feeding keas, taking all rubbish away so keas do not eat it and be alert to kea-thieving.
"Chocolate is especially very toxic for the kea and people may not realise this... Any kind of human food shouldn't be given to the birds. Because they are so curious and inquisitive you have to be very careful that they don't take something off you."
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/189253/volunteers-helping-cheeky-keas-go-lead-free
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Kea in the News
