New kiwi road signs in the Whangarei area

Date:  18 January 2013

Any dog can kill kiwi - This is the message on large road signs in place at Ngunguru, Parua Bay and Hikurangi, letting communities know 'kiwi are here' so please control your dog at all times.

These sites are just three of the many Northland locations suffering bird losses due to dog predation. Department of Conservation Kiwi Ranger Rolf Fuchs who has spearheaded the new signage work says, "They are in place to educate communities to look after kiwi. It's a simple message, to control dogs at all times, and hopefully dog owners are getting it."

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Kiwi road sign

Mr Fuchs explains, "Dogs are the number one killer of adult kiwi in Northland as adult kiwi can't hold their own against dogs like they can with a range of other predators. This is why dogs are such an important focus. The new road signs are a call to communities that dog control is vital."

Other bird species such as brown teal/pateke and our shorebirds, fairy terns, dotterels and oystercatchers, also suffer dog predation. Shorebirds are most vulnerable over the busy summer months. With dogs loose on beaches, they enter bird nesting areas and sanctuaries.

Keith Thompson of Environmental Northland Limited (ENL) encourages the public to "phone at the time of a dog management problem rather than call to report dog issues days later." Both Far North District Council and ENL have staff available to take calls 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Contact:

• ENL Kaipara and Whangarei 0800 105 895
• Far North District Council +64 9 401 5200

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