SHEEP KILLED BY KEAS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 23 September 1941, Page 2

SHEEP KILLED BY KEAS

LOSSES WORST FOR 20 YEARS SOUTHLAND RUNHOLDERSSUFFER Depredations by the kea have been particularly severe during the past few weeks on country from Te Anau to Half Way Bay and Mossburn, The Fairlight station at Garston, and the Greenvale and Cainard station are among those that have suffered, states the “Southland Times.” Usually kcas do not come below about 3000 ft, but this year they have been attacking sheep on much lower country. Recently Mr J. P. McPherson, manager of the Fairlight station, found 40 sheep dead on two spurs of an area of 400 to 500 acres. He said there would probably be a good many more in other perts of the station. In 20 years he had not seen such losses from the kea. Contrary to what would be expected keas do not select lambs or small sheep for their victims. At Fairlight they have gone for the bigger sheep and where there were wethers and hoggets they went for the wethers. The chief reason appears to be because the kea ca get a stronger hob' on the thicker fleece of the big sheep. For the same reason Romney cross sheep suffer more than the lighter breeds. The kea perches on the sheep’s back and pecks a tiny hole in the skin to obtain the kidney fat. The hole is smaller than a threepenny bit. The bird works fast and quickly goes from sheep to sheep. The sheep die from blood poisoning. Although station owners and county councils pay for kea beaks, the difficulty of obtaining cartridges is hampering the efforts to clean keas out. They are comparatively easy birds to destroy with a gun. Losses of sheep from snow have been light in the high country. The winter has been a good one and the indications are that run-holders will hav. a good lambing with high percentages.