Kiwi death in Rangataua Forest sparks calls for responsible dog management

Joint media release by Ngāti Rangi and Department of Conservation

Ngāti Rangi and Department of Conservation (DOC) are calling for hunters and dog owners to comply with their dog permits following the ‘devastating’ death of a monitored kiwi in Rangataua.

Rangers were tracking three tagged male North Island brown kiwi last week when they discovered one, named ‘Geyser’, dead. The cause of death has been determined as most likely to have been dog attack.

Local iwi Ngāti Rangi is devastated by the tragic event and is concerned with the ongoing threat of uncontrolled dogs to taonga species. “Ngāti Rangi sees kiwi as a taonga species – the iwi has strong cultural, spiritual and historic associations with kiwi,” says Helen Leahy, Pou Ārahi of Ngā Waihua o Paerangi.

Even just one kiwi death can have a devastating impact on kiwi recovery.

“Brown kiwi can live for around 40 years, and the early death of a breeding adult male means the loss of generations of taonga.”

Visitors to Rangataua Forest can bring up to two dogs with a permit from DOC and both dogs must be certified as kiwi avoidance trained to be able to enter.

DOC supervisor Danial Van der Lubbe is urging owners to respect the rules to protect native species and educate both themselves and their dogs.

“Kiwi avoidance training is easy to do and there are many options to book across the country. Not only is it a requirement for Rangataua, but it’s also a vitally important tool for all New Zealanders to help reduce the threat hunting and farming dogs pose to kiwi in the wild.”

The Rangataua Forest Ecological Area is managed in partnership with Ngāti Rangi and the predominantly beech forest is also home to a large population of short-tailed bats and other native species such as kākā and kārearea.

Ms Leahy says protection of all fragile native species is a collective priority.

“We’re looking to introduce more kiwi into the area in the future, so it’s imperative that we protect these taonga.”

Geyser was released into Rangataua in 2015 and has been monitored since.

The rangers found the other two monitored kiwi safe and almost ready to fledge their chicks.

Members of the public should report roaming dogs on conservation land, including if their own dogs become lost, to the 24-hour DOC emergency hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).

In other areas roaming dogs can be reported to Ruapehu District Council Animal Control on 07 895 8188.

The Dog Control Act 1996 enables the destruction of any dog found to have injured or killed any protected wildlife, including kiwi, and the owner to be fined $20,000, and/or three years in jail.

For more information on Kiwi Avoidance Training please visit https://www.kiwiavoidancetraining.nz/

Fred Clarke, Ngati Rangi Kaihonohono Ā Rohe, and Jenny Hayward, DOC Biodiversity Ranger, releasing Geyser, Rata and Ahika (three North Island brown kiwi) into Rangataua Forest in 2015.