BIRD AND ANIMAL LIFE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24216, 6 March 1942, Page 4

BIRD AND ANIMAL LIFE

PRESERVING NATIVE FAUNA (0.C.) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday The policy of segregating native bird and animal life in isolated sancturies was criticised by Mr. W. E. Moore in his presidential address to the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand. For the preservation of these birds and animals, he argued, it was not sufficient to leave them to themselves and protect tliem against molestation. If such a purely passive policy were taken toward sheep and cattle, he said, they would soon become extinct. Attempts should be made to acclimatise native fauna by domesticating them. Certain Australian varieties of pigeons had been saved from extinction in this way. Similar attempts might be made in New Zealand both with pigeons and with the native parakeet, v The population of existing sanctuaries could be relieved by the removal of some of the birds to other parts of the country, in some cases to botanic gardens. Mr, E. F. Stead said he had for some time criticised the policy of the Department of Internal Affairs of confining certain species of birds to a few small islands, or even to a single island, where an accident, such as the landing of rats from a wrecked ship, might cause their extinction.