Deep tyre tracks on Pukehina Beach, which is also home to NZ dotterels, variable oystercatchers and migratory wrybills. Photo / DoC
Deep tyre tracks on Pukehina Beach, which is also home to NZ dotterels, variable oystercatchers and migratory wrybills. Photo / DoC
Warning: Distressing images
Department of Conservation staff are appealing for information after 21 protected red-billed gulls were killed by a driver who allegedly drove their vehicle through the birds’ colony on Pukehina Beach last month.
CCTV footage of the incident, which occurred on July 26, shows a dark-coloured four-wheel-drive vehicle being driven along the beach at Dotterel Point about 12.20am.
The number of gulls killed suggests the birds were either resting or young and naive enough to have had slow reactions to the threat posed by the driver and their vehicle.
“Red-billed gulls may seem commonplace, but they are listed as at risk — declining, and are absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act 1953. There is no excuse for this kind of behaviour,” says Hayden.
The run-over seagulls on the Bay of Plenty beach. Photo / Ray Neville
Extending from Pukehina Surf Rescue to the mouth of the Waihi estuary, Dotterel Point is a coastal dune providing habitat to many vulnerable species including New Zealand dotterels, variable oystercatchers, gulls, and lizards. Local community group Maketū Ōngātoro Wetland Society has been working since 2012 to protect the fragile sandspit ecosystem.
The vehicle driver’s actions caused the gulls to scatter, before the driver and vehicle are seen looping back along the beach, says Hayden.
“The deaths of these protected birds were entirely avoidable, and it’s hit our team quite hard.”
Red-billed gulls are listed as at risk — declining. Photo / Ray Neville
Waikato University associate professor in ecology, biodiversity and animal behaviour Nick Ling says gulls often roost on land at night, in places like headlands or beaches.
“This is quite common, unlike many other seabirds that will roost overnight at sea. In fact gulls can almost be regarded as land birds rather than seabirds as they typically find most of their food on land or close to shore and usually don’t venture very far from shore.
“So, it looks like what has happened in this case is that there was presumably a large group of gulls night roosting on the beach and the vehicle has caught them out.”
Nick says those that weren’t able to get out of the way in time from that much larger group were run over.
He says why they didn’t react in time in response to the vehicle can only be speculated — “maybe the car didn’t have its lights on or the sound of the oncoming vehicle was confusing in some way”.
“Whatever the reason, it highlights the issue with vehicles on beaches and the threats that they pose to wildlife.
“One can sympathise with vehicles that may access the beach for genuine reasons, but if it’s just joyriding then that is not acceptable, especially when tragedies such as this occur.”
A dead red-billed gull in a tyre track at Dotterel Point. Photo / DoC
DoC says the driver’s actions also violate Western Bay of Plenty District Council bylaws for appropriate vehicle beach access.
Hayden says it is believed the offending driver was behind the wheel of a dark-coloured Toyota Hilux or similar vehicle with a distinctive bull bar, and the driver may be a resident.
“It seems they may have left through one of the smaller beach access points, indicating the driver is very familiar with the area.”
Although the footage has the driver and vehicle on the beach for about four minutes covering 500m, tracks further down the beach had disappeared with the tide, so the exact exit lpoint is unknown.
Killing protected wildlife carries a maximum penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to $100,000, or both. See Western Bay of Plenty District Council Bylaws for more information.
Anyone with further information regarding this incident should call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) or email Investigations@doc.govt.nz quoting incident number CLE-7188.
