THE SILENT BUSH

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11740, 30 January 1924, Page 5

THE SILENT BUSH

HAVOC AMONG BIRD LIFE TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION BY STOATS AND WEASELS. REMOVAL OF PROTECTION. It is olaimed that stoats and weasels have become so prealent in the South Island that in a trip from Nelson to Otago recently there was a. remarkable absenoe of bird life, miles of bush being traversed with hardly a member of the feathered tribe to be seen. Active steps are to be taken to get protection removed from stoats and weasels. GONE FROM THE BUSH. A gentleman who accompanied the members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce during their recent trip down the West Coast told a “Times” representative yesterday that during the tour they travelled nearly ICOO miles by motor from Nelson, down the coast to the Franz Josef glacier, and they were all struck by the exceptional absence of bird life of all kinds. They travelled several hundreds of miles through undisturbed native bush but the party did not see a single weka or ka-ka. Neither i did they see half a dozen pigeons or tuis until thev got within a few miles of Waihou Gorge, about 109 miles south of Hokitika. THROUGH TO OTAGO. The same state of things appeared to exist further south, for at Waihou the party met two trampers who had journeyed through on foot from Pembroke over the Haast Pass, and they reported a similar absence of wekas on the whole journey. At one time these native birds flourished there in their thousands, the bush being alive -with them. They were very tame, and would scarcely run away. REGARDED AS VERMIN. Their scarcity to-day is stated to be due to the presence of stoats and weasels, ft number of which were seen on the journey. They were imported to overcome the rabbit pest, hut in Great Britain stoats and weasels are regarded as vermin, and continuous war is waged upon them. At present they are protected by law, but strong representations are to he made to the department through the New Zealand Forestry -League for the purpose of having the protection removed, in order to encourage the bird life which was so’ essential for the spreading of the forests. It is hoped that the authorities will recognise the urgent necessity of action being taken if bird life is to survive.