SUCCESSFUL ACCLIMATISATION.

Northern Advocate, 23 February 1911, Page 3

SUCCESSFUL ACCLIMATISATION.

MOOSE WELL ESTABLISHED ON

THE WEST COAST,

The Government steamer Hinemoa, •which returned to Wellington tin other day from her cruise round the South Is-and, where she went to enable Mr Allport (Secretary of Marine) to make Ms annual inspection of the various lighthouses, and also to supply them with the necessary stores, was favored -with calm weather almost right through the trip, and as a'consequence the work done by the vessel and her captain, officers and crew, was. generally facilitated.

It will be good news to the Government, which went to the expense of importing them, and to the various acclimatisation societies and especially the Tourist Department, to learn that the American moose (Alces machlis), which were conveyed by the Hinemoa to the West Coast six years ago, and were landed at the head of George Sound, have apparently come to stay. Jkt this time, about eighteen animals were landed. Since then a couple of &keletons have been found on the beach or a little way inland, and odd iimes traces of the animals have been seen. On this last trip of the Hinemoa, whilst the vessel was lying at George Sound, Captain Bollons, Mr Allport, and some others made an excursion into the bush, and it is satisfactory to note that within a short distance of the shore the party came across the recent spoor of the moose and followed it for about a couple of miles. The hoof imprints indicated that young deer were with the older animals. Though no sight was caught of the animals themselves, yet is grati£3 ing to learn that in so brief a search as was made, traces of the animals v v ere seen and that apparently they Lave got sufficiently acclimatised to start breeding. Sportsmen and tourists will probably before long be able to see further traces of the moose. Whilst on the cruise, those on the Hinemoa had many opportunities of seeing numbers of native birds. In addition to the mutton birds, which were very numerous, pigeons, kakas, tuls, mokomoko, and other birds were seen, besides large numbers of curlieu, paradise ducks, and black swans. Last season was evidently very suitable for breeding, and as amateur sportsmen cannot reach these spots, the birds breed in comparative safety.