Kakapo killer dead but consternation continues

Press, 1 September 1977, Page 2

Kakapo killer dead but consternation continues

Wellington reporter

The saga of the dog on Maud Island, which caused the death of one of the three kakapos there, is now over — the dog has died. But the consternation the dog’s action caused is still being felt in those departments responsible for the administration and protection of national parks and reserves. In the past, some departments have had a general rule that no pets of a possibly predatory nature may be kept on parks or reserves, but they have at the same time permitted some exceptions.

In the case of dogs, some departmental officers have been encouraged to keep them, and have been paid an allowance for having them.

Muzzled dogs are sometimes put on to offshore islands to hunt wild cats and goats.

The general rule has been that potential predatory animals not native to the area must be kept out of parks and reserves in order to conserve the native fauna and flora in the area. Predators native to tile area — such as falcons, owls, and white herons, might legally be retained.

The Maud Island incident has now led to a general edict that no domestic pets which are potential predators may be kept. All must be removed unless they are working animals, needed for security or other work. Implicit in this edict is the acknowledgement that pets have been kept. Such pets must now be removed.

The shock of the kakapo’s

death has had an impact on the morale of some of those employed to maintain the parks and reserves. It has made these people look as if they were callous in the performance of their tasks, whereas it was more a case of carelessness.

Many of those employed in looking after native fauna and flora spend hours of extreme physical hardship in the pursuit of their duties, often at low rates of pay, because of their concern for the fauna and flora. It is their belief that the Maud Island incident, although very regrettable, should not be taken to indicate any lessening in their devotion to the administration and protection of the fauna and flora of New Zealand.