THE KEA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20707, 3 May 1929, Page 8

THE KEA.

SHEEP LOSSES IN. CANTERBURY.

Mr James Milliken, of Flock Trill, Springfield, has written to the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, strongly protesting. against the argument, contained in a recent article, in l our , columns*, that teas should; be’ protected; , Jlc ridicules the statemefit - that no-esse has beOn proved against the kea of killing sheep. , ■ c ®u,” he .says, ■ count; thousands fit sheep that have been killed by the kea in this district alone. ’IV. could take the writer - of the artidb to - at least 100 sheep killed last spring and summer on, the'different places round here on the West Coast road. V.I took 30 beaks the other day tii the council, here, and four of the birds were absolute killers. Two of the birds killed - 3D sheep on one spur beforq-we got them last August. On this occasion two shepherds and I were out every night for a week, till we finally shot the birds; right on the job, while- the other two X got myself in December. The shepherds were mustering in the sheep for the shearing, and one big woolly wether knocked up on tho road in to the homestead, and the head shepherd tied its legs so that I could go out and get it with a cart. I.went out to get it the following-morning, only to find that it had been killed by keas during night ;■ it had its back and loins •eaten right out. I left it where it was, and went out in the evening to get theculprits. As the sheep had been' all mustered, in from the block that day, .1 waited close by the. dead sheep,- and, sure . the two keas arrived at their 1 usual time, which, is just when it is getj ting dark. Of course, ,1 made short work of them. ■ In my twenty-odd years' 'experience In the back country, I have shot hundreds of keas, and have actually shot two birds at different times right off the sheeps back, while they.have been running past me in the moonlight. - - “ Another instance was when the head shepherd and I were - going 'out just fat the evening. We were debating which nob of land to go up to, as there were (■ several mobs of sheep just camping on each, when we spotted Mr Kea coming a bit earlier than usual. He landed on the biggest mob before we got up to it, and the sheep made off down the spur, with the kea jumping on the hack of first i one and thqn another. He must have tried to stick on to at least a dozen before j he got one that he could hang on to. . I - raced round to a saddle to intercept the sheep, and just got there- as the -kea was going past me. He had his beak "embedded in the sheep’s back, and his daws [holding on also. Every now and then, 1 when the sheep stopped a little to get breath, I could actually sec the kea screwing his beak deeper and deeper into the animal’s back, and the sheep would jump and let out an agonised bleat. Just as I was lifting the gun, the kea saw me and jumped off on to the ground, and he got his deserts without any furthep delay. I have also got dozens of keas while lying alongside the mob of sheep camped usually- just under u nob, and’ watching the sky line just above them,, and on three different occasions I haveblown them right off the. muzzle of the gun, without 1 moving in the least, and they were hopping down to the mob to start their; night’s work. Ido not know of anything so cruel as what the kea does to sheep. The sheep usually linger for a day or two after their backs have got holes in them, that you could put' your hand in, and they often walk three or four miles, right into the yards,. at mustering time with their kidneys pulled out through their ribs. In one case, besides the kidneys out, a sheep had another hole at the top of. the shoulders, right down into its lungs, and it was - actually possible to hear the sheen breathing through the hole as it walked • along.’’ ,