Tāngaroa Tuia te Ora, the Endangered Species Foundation today launched a campaign encouraging people to help cute chicks this summer.
“Every year on our beaches, in our forests and near our rivers, native, endangered, cute chicks are hatching,” says Co-Chair, Tawera Nikau. “These places are their homes and their nurseries. But sadly, there are many threats to these precious manu, including domestic cats, and dogs that are allowed to roam off-leash”.
Tāngaroa Tuia te Ora, the Endangered Species Foundation has started this campaign to help educate people how to keep our precious, fluffy hatchlings safe.
“We all love cute chicks and we want to let people know how they can keep protect them this summer”,” says Natalie, “There are many things people can do, from keeping our dogs on leashes and our cats inside at night, to informing people where chicks are and protecting their habitats”.
By adopting a cute chick money raised will go towards increasing awareness and educating people about how they can make a difference: https://www.endangeredspecies.org.nz/help-cute-chicks
People can choose to adopt Aotearoa’s most endangered birds, including the Tara Iti, (NZ fairy tern), Toroa, (antipodean albatross), Kiwi Pukupuku (little spotted kiwi) and Tarāpuka (black billed gulls).
You can also adopt the at-risk Tūturiwhatu (NZ dotterel) and tōrea pango (oyster catcher) which really need our help and protection on beaches this summer.
Official Adoption Certificates
Everyone who donates will receive an official adoption certificate and flyer about how we can all keep cute chicks safe.
You can help cute chicks by adopting one today: https://www.endangeredspecies.org.nz/help-cute-chicks
Why does it matter?
Cats kill many native species including birds and insects. This one was caught on camera playing with dotterel eggs at Snell’s beach. Over three months (between June – Aug 2023) 14 kiwi were killed by dogs in Northland. Community groups, DOC staff and volunteers work extremely hard to protect our native birds, and any deaths are taken hard by everyone. However, where people are aware, and in areas where there is both predator control and good dog and cat management, we are seeing native wildlife starting to come back. This kiwi was spotted in a backyard in Pāuanui earlier this year.
There are many things we can do to help:
If you have a dog, keep it on a lead and use a muzzle when you are in native areas.
Get your dog trained in kiwi avoidance training.
Make sure your cat is micro-chipped and inside, especially at night.
Don’t take your cat to the beach or other native areas where birds, insects and bats might live.
Stay away from roped-off areas and don’t drive on beaches.
Volunteer to restore waterways, beaches and natural habitats.
Donations and sharing our message, will help us get the word out there this summer, so more of our endangered, cute chicks have safe habitats to hatch, feed and grow.
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