Fledgling Kaka mauled to death by dog

A fledgling Kaka was mauled to death by a dog in the Wellington. Photo / Thinkstock

A fledgling Kaka was mauled to death by a dog in the Wellington region resulting in a plea from park staff to the public to keep their dogs on a leash.

The bird was found by Wellington City Council (WCC) biosecurity officer Bernard Smith in the Huntleigh Park in Ngaio.

Mr Smith, who was patrolling the area on January 18, said the death highlighted a serious issue.

"It only takes a second of a dog dashing into the bushes to do the damage, and kaka are a threatened species we need to be protecting."

Myfanwy Emeny, WCC team leader, said incidents like this were occurring on a regular basis.

"With the number of off-leash dogs we see and the increase in the number of Kaka breeding in the area there is probably a lot of this going on that we don't see."

Fledgling Kaka were most vulnerable because they spent a period of time on the ground, Ms Emeny said.

"We find a lot of fledgling Kaka because there is about a week where they leave the nest and live on the ground because they can't fly yet.

They can clamber into vegetation but they are pretty much based on the ground," she said. "They are very vulnerable at this stage and that's when dogs can easily kill them."

Ms Emeny said Kaka in the area numbered "well over 400".