Home > Mass Animal Deaths, Natural Disasters > New Zealand: Birds Feared Killed in Tens of Thousands, ‘We’ve Never Had Anything Like This Before’

New Zealand: Birds Feared Killed in Tens of Thousands, ‘We’ve Never Had Anything Like This Before’

07/25/2011 Leave a comment Go to comments

By Laurel Stowell- “The number of prions that perished on the west coast of the North Island in last week’s stormy weather could be in the tens of thousands.

Though the species was not endangered, the birds might have ‘taken quite a good hit’, said Manawatu/Wanganui Bird Rescue co-ordinator Dawne Morton.

She was kept busy with the birds from Tuesday to Friday last week. They were picked up dead and alive along the length of the coast, from Wellington to North Cape.

More than 600 birds were being nursed back to health at Massey University, others by the Conservation Department in New Plymouth and Wellington Zoo.

At Massey the birds were put in warm water ponds, fed and re-waterproofed. Badly hurt birds were euthanised.

The prions’ small size put them at particular risk.

‘These guys lose 20g and they’ve had it,’ Ms Morton said.” Read more.

Categories: Mass Animal Deaths, Natural Disasters
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