references
manual’s appendices. Audits of all kea holders were conducted by DOC in 2012, to check current environments and practices against the minimum standards. As this was the first of the audits under the new standards, it was expected that few facilities would meet all requirements, however it was intended that the audit reports would also provide holders with a vital tool to help them work towards and achieve the new standards in the near future. So where to now? Two aspects will require attention during 2013; i) revision of the husbandry manual minimum standards and; ii) follow-up audits for holders that did not achieve the minimum standards in the first audit. Revision of the husbandry manual will provide an opportunity for all kea holders to comment on and put forward any proposed changes to the minimum standards. Any proposed changes will require supporting evidence from the captive group to ensure that the original intent of the manual (to ensure an appropriate minimum standard of care and incentives to achieve optimal husbandry for kea), is not lost or diluted. The KCT will also work with DOC to ensure that follow up audits are tabled to enable support for those holders working to achieve minimum standards and to enable those not wishing to commit the required resources to upgrade their enclosures and husbandry practices, in transferring their birds to more appropriate facilities.
The future for captive kea is still under review. To ensure that facilities in NZ are able to hold kea in the future, achieving appropriately set minimum standards across the board is essential with the hope that they all strive for and achieve best practice. Zoos worldwide are expected and required to hold high priority mammalian species in suitably high standards. Many zoos have had to make the decision to either commit to investing the high level of resources and time required to hold these high priority species optimally, or if not, stop holding them altogether. Acknowledgement of kea, our ‘feathered wolf,’ as our ‘high priority’ endemic is necessary if we are to hold them appropriately in the future. This will not only serve to ensure proper welfare, but will also send a clear message to the public that kea, our unique mountain parrot, is a highly valued member of the zoo community and true ambassadors for their threatened counterparts in the wild. Tamsin is founder and Chair of the Kea Conservation Trust (2006-present). She has worked as a zoo keeper and within the animal welfare industry since the mid-1980s. Tamsin has worked with a number of species including cetaceans, pinnipeds, carnivores and primates as well as numerous native species including kea at Auckland Zoo (2002–2003). Here she developed and applied the management techniques outlined in the
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new Husbandry Manual. Tamsin completed her Captive Wild Animal certificate in 2002 and her applied animal technology degree in 2005 at Unitec Institute of Technology. Her 3rd year research project entitled ‘Evaluation of captive Kea (Nestor notabilis) management practices in New Zealand and their effect on behavioural repertoire.’ involved extensive observations of 70 captive kea at 13 captive facilities around the North Island and surveys of facility management practices and analysis of environmental complexity at 27 facilities. Since then she has worked on over two dozen in-situ and ex-situ kea research and advocacy projects in collaboration with DOC, Unitec Institute of Technology and researchers here and overseas.
Photo: courtesy of Wellington Zoo