NATIVE BIRDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24738, 15 October 1941, Page 7

NATIVE BIRDS

POLICY OF PRESERVATION URGENCY STRESSED GOVERNMENT CRITICISED Strong criticism of the attitude of the Department of Internal Affairs towards the preservation of native bird life in New Zealand was voiced by Mr L. E. Richdale in an address to members of the Otago branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand last night. He pointed to the lack of interest taken by the department in the royal albatross and penguin colonies on the Otago Peninsula, and to the destruction of native birds on Stewart Island and outlying islands. On the island of Herekopare, eight miles from Halfmoon Bay, five species of native birds, Mr Richdale said, had become extinct in the past 30 years, and three more species of sea birds were in danger of being lost if prompt action was not taken.

At the conclusion of Mr Richdale’s address two resolutions were carried urging the Department of Internal Affairs to introduce a more effective system of native bird preservation, and to safeguard the native birds in Stewart Island and outlying islands, particularly Herekopare, by the destruction of vermin. Dr Basil Howard presided at the meeting. Department’s Lack of Interest

Mr Richdale introduced his subject with a criticism of tl\e department’s attitude towards the preservation of native birds. Its policy, he said, was to depend on local enthusiasts, and when that failed nothing else was done. He described. the interest taken by the Royal Society in the royal albatrosses at Taiaroa Heads, and to its endeavours to obtain financial assistance and special legislation to protect them Nothing was done by the department, and it was left to members of the society and the Otago Harbour Board to provide adequate protection for the birds. This year five pairs of albatross were nesting, Mr Richdale said, and each female would lay one egg. Already five chicks had been reared at the colony since 1937, “By 1950 there will be very few breeding penguins left at the Otago Peninsula,” Mr Richdale said. “Some penguins have been shot and nests are still being molested. Representations have been made to the department to have this vandalism stopped, but nothing has been done. At one . colony there were 19 nests in 1937, but since then there has been a gradual decline, until to-day there are only eight nests and all the birds are old ones.” Mr Richdale gave instances of vandalism in connection with penguin colonies and referred to the destruction of protected shags. There were 16 species of snags in New Zealand, he said, and 12 were protected, although no attempt had been made to acquaint the public with that fact. The beautiful spotted shag had been wiped out in some places, and there were only about 200 of the Stewart Island blue shags left. If this destruction were allowed to continue, he said, it would be a serious matter for native birds, whose preservation was a national matter, and the Government’s responsibility. Tragedy of Herekopare

“The destruction of native birds on Herekopare.” Mr Richdale stated, “is a tragedy. This island was ,once the home of countless sea-birds and a number of land-birds, and was a natural gem. Since 1911, five species of birds have become extinct—the robin, the parrakeet, the fern bird, the tomtit, and the korure —and only three kinds are left on the island to-day, the parara, the titi wainui. and the kuaka. We can save these if we act quickly.” Mr Richdale said that in 1911 there were at least 500,000 birds on Herekopare. but to-day there were between 2000 or 3000. He referred to the destruction caused by cats and rats, and said that all over the island he had seen remains of birds. He suggested that the best way to save the birds was to clear the outlying islands of vermin and to remove the wekas from them, as they, too, destroyed the small sea-birds.

Following Mr Riclidale’s address, a short talk on the ringing of birds in Dunedin was given by Dr B. J. Marples, who explained why the birds were tagged and described interesting facts about their habits and characteristics.