Rare birds rescued from oil slick

Efforts to preserve the New Zealand dotterel from the oil spill off the Tauranga coastline has led to 13 of the rare birds being pre-emptively captured and housed at the Oiled Wildlife Response Centre. Its staff include wildlife veterinarians from Massey University.

The dotterel are among only 1500 of their kind left in the wild. Although their eggs are being abandoned, a decision was taken by the wildlife experts to protect the birds who, they say, will be able to breed again next year.

On Motiti Island, eight little blue penguins have been found including three chicks, all deemed safe and untouched by any oiling. They have also been taken to the wildlife centre where a crèche has been set up for them. Three more seals have also been saved.

Staff from Massey’s Palmerston North campus have been seconded to the rehabilitation facility at Te Maunga in a bid to save as many animals as possible from the spill caused by the grounding of the container ship Rena.

The University is contracted by Maritime New Zealand to provide the oiled wildlife response to any environmental disaster.

Wildlife specialist from International Bird Rescue, Curt Clumpner, who has just arrived in Tauranga from California, says the centre was “very well prepared” to address the consequences of such a disaster, despite New Zealand not experiencing an oil spill of this kind before.

While more than 1000 birds have died, the centre is now home to 130 rescued birds retrieved from the Bay of Plenty coastline and surrounding islands.

An aviary is being built at the wildlife facility, located on the harbour side of Mt Maunganui, to cater for the dotterels.