Kiwi in a Northland forest have been decimated by dogs recently, but Bay Bush Action hopes public response to the deaths will help save the protected national icon in Ōpua Forest.
Kiwi in a Northland forest have been decimated by dogs recently, but Bay Bush Action hopes public response to the deaths will help save the protected national icon in Ōpua Forest.
Following a shocking spate of kiwi deaths believed to have been caused by wandering canines, a local conservation group is celebrating the positive public response to its calls for support and education for dog owners as it looks to turn the tide again for the threatened national icon.
Community trust Bay Bush Action (BBA), which works in the Ōpua Forest, is now in a position to buy two thermal cameras to help mitigate the risk of further dog attacks after a public appeal for help.
After recently meeting its fundraising target of $10,000 - thanks to generous donations and indications of interest from sponsors - BBA will install two units of the Cacophony Thermal Camera, which can identify species through heat signatures and AI.
BBA’s founding trustee Brad Windust said AI cameras enabled a timely response to predators and were becoming widespread in surveillance among conservation groups throughout the country.
“By using these, we will know there’s a dog in the forest immediately.”
Auckland Council’s Shakespear Open Sanctuary has described the thermal camera as “a game changer”, while a community project at Wainui said its accuracy and near real-time classification of pests were top benefits.
Driven by the belief that education is key to mitigating future attacks, the group also recently co-hosted a Know Your Dog course in Paihia alongside Kiwi Coast.
Sunday’s free two-hour workshop was led by retired vet and dog handler Lesley Baigent, whose love and understanding of dogs informed insights to help owners better manage their pets.
Baigent said more than 25 responsible owners attended, all keen to learn more about what makes their dog tick and why they behave the way they do.
“The recent spate of dog kills of kiwi has dog owners on alert but also feeling under pressure.”
“Those already doing the right things felt they were being penalised even more about dog ownership, while those not being responsible were not affected. This is common throughout Northland and communities need to discuss this complicated issue.”
“You will come away understanding all dogs are predatory hunters, so being able to look after them by understanding their behaviour and signals of pending mischief will make managing them much easier," said councillor Steve McNally, who was among more than 25 attendees at Sunday’s course.
“All participants went home skilled up on how to have a better relationship with their dog, how to have a dog ‘under control’ and hopefully safer wildlife too.”
Among attendees was Steve McNally, councillor in the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa general ward, who recommended the interactive session to all current dog owners, those thinking of getting a dog, those of who have visitors that bring a dog or those who babysit a friend’s dog.
Despite being a long-term dog owner, McNally said the lively and informative course provided “fantastic” insights into knowing and understanding one’s dog.
BBA’s Windust continued to offer clear advice to dog owners and pig hunters.
“If a dog has roamed once, they are far more likely to roam again,” he said.
“You need to consider re-homing your dog well away from a kiwi area. If you are not watching them, they need to be tied up or housed.”
He suggested geofencing - a “reasonably cheap” invisible fence linked to a shock collar - as a backup which quickly teaches dogs not to overstep boundaries.
“Only run a small pack - three well-trained dogs, four at the very most. Doing regular work, because dogs need to know their target.
“Your dogs should always be right beside you in the bush unless they smell a pig, and always use tracking collars. Have target-specific dogs - if they are killing possums, they’ll kill kiwi too.
“Just because they don’t kill chooks at home does not mean they won’t kill kiwi in the bush. And don’t hunt at night in kiwi areas.”
