Danger To Rare Black Petrels From Roading

Press, Volume C, Issue 29534, 8 June 1961, Page 25

Danger To Rare Black Petrels From Roading

“A paragraph entitled ‘Westland Shoemakers' in ‘The Press’ of May 24 reports that the West Coast Acclima- : tisation Society is concerned at the intention of a milling firm to put a road through the black petrel colony between Punakaiki and Barrytown, the only known petrel colony of the birds in the world, and that Field Officer T. Hartley-Smith said that it was now understood that in all probability the projected road would not harm the colony,” says the secretary of the West Coast Acclimatisation Society (Mr P. Grant) in a letter to "The Press " "The statement that the society is concerned about the matter is true, but as various roads or bulldozed tracks were mentioned and only one projected road reported, it is easy to see how a wrong impression has been conveyed." Mr Grant says. “The mam projected road would probably call for blasting and bulldozing right through what is understood to be the main nesting area of the petrels.” Mr Grant says. “To birds nesting in burrows along the hillsides and ridges the proposed reading and logging operations would probably be fatal. “The petrel nesting area is not yet charted accurately, but is bounded on the west side by the coast road between Greymbuth and Westport, in the north and the east by the Punakaiki river, and stretches three miles or more north and south. The birds nest in burrows which can be anywhere in the bush In the area. Some birds nest well back from the road, and others just off the flat land on the west side. It may be

that they nest in pockets with unused areas in between, but, as previously stated, the broken rough area has not been charted accurately. “A year ago investigations were made as to the use of the area and it seemed that little logging was proposed. The situation seems to have changed in the southern part of the area and further inquiries will be made. It well may be that there should be no objection to roading and; logging in some areas but in, other areas these operations! would be fatal to the nesting] birds. Operations should be planned to avoid the nesting areas or stopped altogether “The petrels are ornithologically more rare than the white herons at Okarito, and imagine the public outcry should the nesting area of the white herons be disturbed.” says Mr Grant. “The black petrels are protected by the Same laws and are entitled to the same protection.”