Conservation group holds kiwi avoidance training for dogs

 

Since kiwi were reintroduced in the Brynderwyns, Marunui Conservation has been encouraging nearby dog owners to have their dogs kiwi avoidance trained.

Sessions have been organised each year since 2013 and attendance has been high, reflecting the local community’s support for kiwi protection.

Dogs trained have included domestic, farm and pig hunting dogs.

Another opportunity to have dogs trained for the first time or to have a refresher will take place in April.

The training is free and will be conducted by Tom Donovan who is contracted to DOC.

The method is simple and takes about 10-15 minutes. It involves walking the dog past various props such as a dead kiwi (from DOC’s frozen collection of killed birds), nesting material, feathers or poo. The dog is fitted with a special collar and when it shows interest in any item it receives a short, sharp shock which quickly teaches the dog that kiwi are something to stay away from.

It’s effective but not necessarily a guarantee that the dog, if uncontrolled or roaming, will not attack a kiwi.

“The fact is that dogs are the biggest cause of kiwi deaths in Northland, followed by stoats, cats and ferrets,” says Marunui’s John Hawley. “Any dog, regardless of size, breed and age, can kill or seriously injure a kiwi and it can happen so quickly. Kiwi have a distinctive smell which makes them easy for a dog to track and,

having no wing muscles or breast bone, their chests and internal organs can easily be fatally crushed.”

He advises that some kiwi are known to have moved beyond Marunui’s boundaries and settled on or near properties that may have dogs.

“In this situation we appreciate those owners who have had their dogs trained and who take responsibility by keeping them under control, tied up or enclosed, or on a lead and closely supervised.”

“The example of a fox terrier attacking and badly wounding a female kiwi in bush above Kapawiti Road last October shows the need for both good dog control and avoidance training,” says Martina Tschirky, Friends of the Brynderwyns Society chair, who has had her dog trained.

She urges owners to take advantage of the training offered.

“The few minutes involved could help save a kiwi’s life.”

n Training will take place on April 10 at Marunui, 300 King Road, Mangawhai. To reserve a time contact john.hawley@xtra.co.nz, (09) 376 4069, or 027 262 7904.


CONTROL: Locals and their dogs ready for a training session.