June Update
Bad News: Kiwi Killed by aversion trained dog
Unfortunately a pet dog on a lifestyle block at the north end of McLeod Bay killed a kiwi (see photo). The kiwi was a male of 1995g and didn’t have an ID chip meaning that was a wild hatched chick that had survived to adulthood thanks to our predator trapping.
Of concern is that this dog had undergone kiwi aversion training and this is not the first example of this happening – there are ongoing questions about the effectiveness of aversion training on lifestyle block pet dogs that are in kiwi areas 24/7.
Kiwi monitoring:
Nesting seems to be a few weeks later this year (possibly because of the summer drought) with many males still active. By this time last year many of our kiwi dads were sitting on eggs.
What your monitored kiwi are up to:
Darwin – In the Lamb road quarry – activity of 11 hours per night.
Whitu – Usual area Reotahi –activity of 10 hours activity early in month, activity could have dropped since.
Dallas – Still in the pines by the School- 11 hours activity. Kane and I caught up with him for his 6 monthly band change. He was in excellent condition and was a whopping 2550g.
Lambert- Usual area Taurikura Ridge – activity of 11 hours per night.
Waka – Usual area Mckenzie Bay – activity of 10 hours per night.
Charlotte – Usual area of McKenzie Bay.
JR – South Taurikura Ridge above Urquarts Bay – activity of 11 hours per night.
Charlie – At McNamnara’s at Craig Road – Did his 6 monthly check – good condition 2140g.
Kiwiana – At Blicks at the southern end of Mt Manaia. 3 monthly check done (he is still growing) – only in medium condition and 1720g.
Webb – In the pines between Ody’s and Kerr Road.
Clover – Still high up on eastern Manaia -11 hours activity.