By far the greatest immediate human threat to kea is idiot people killing them and of course introduced pests destroying their nests.
Perhaps the worst aspect of stupid humans, especially tourists and tour bus drivers, who feed keas is that they condition these wild birds to lose their natural shyness of humans.
Kea then hang around the places that humans congregate expecting a food hand out. In 2002, a Fox Glacier resident killed 33 kea at the Fox Glacier carpark and was treated as a hero by some locals who paid his Court fine by passing the hat around in the local pub. The Fox Glacier keas had been hanging around the Fox Rubbish Dump and Glacier carpark waiting for hand outs and getting up to mischief.
In Arthur's Pass National Park, tourists and travellers all think the kea are cute. Despite DOC signs everywhere cautioning the public against feeding kea, time and time again I have encountered tourists feeding kea because they think they are helping the birds. They are in fact helping to kill them!
How are they helping to kill them? Well there are always a few human thugs out there who think it is fun to torture and kill wild animals. ...remember the baby seals killed at Ohau Point waterfall on the Kaikoura coast earlier this year. Those offenders were caught.
Today, August 8, five young kea paid the ultimate price with their lives. These totally protected and long lived native birds were this morning found dead. They had been placed on a picnic table at the Klondyke Corner picnic and camping area, 10 km east of Arthur's Pass Village in the Arthur's Pass National Park. The DOC Ranger who found them thinks that they have been shot with a small calibre rifle or perhaps an air pistol but autopsies now underway will determine the exact cause of death.
Unfortunately, at Klondyke Corner I have seen many campers and picnickers feeding kea. Consequently the birds here are now very tame and could easily be killed by anyone with malicious intent.
HERE IS DOC'S MEDIA RELEASE ABOUT THE KILLING
Media release
Monday 8 August 2011
Public asked to ring in about kea deaths
Department of Conservation staff are calling for information about five dead young kea discovered at Klondyke Corner near Arthur’s Pass today.
Anyone who was in the area around Klondyke Corner over the weekend of 6-7 August are asked to ring the 0800 DOCHOTline – 0800 36 24 68 or the Arthur’s Pass Field Centre.
Arthur’s Pass Field Centre Supervisor Chris Stewart said the Department was keen to identify the cause of the deaths as quickly as possible, in order to prevent any more birds suffering the same fate.
“The five birds have been sent away for an autopsy and DOC staff will be monitoring Klondyke Corner for any clues,” said Mr Stewart.
“The five birds were found piled up on one of the picnic tables. We’re hoping to hear from anyone that can offer some insight into how they got there.”
If you are able to help, please ring the DOC hotline or Mr Stewart directly on 027 272 9788.
Kea are endangered, and while they are often seen, their wild population is only estimated at between 1000 – 5000 birds. Rated as one of the world’s most intelligent birds, they are only found in the Southern Alps of the South Island.
–Ends–
Contacts
Sarah Mankelow (027 660 2508) or Lizzy Sutcliffe (027 470 1378)
