Council To Take Action To Protect Kaikōura Seabirds

Friday, 30 May 2025, 8:04 pm
Article: David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter

A Kaikōura wildlife advocate hopes a council decision will lead to ‘‘more space’’ for native birds.

The Kaikōura District Council has asked staff to prepare a report on what options are available to protect banded dotterel nesting sites along the Kaikōura coastline.

The birds are under threat from stray and feral cats, dogs off leashes and human intervention.

Options include placing restrictions in known nesting areas during breeding season, and encouraging people to microchip and desex their cats.

Ailsa McGilvary-Howard has been spent more than 10 years studying nesting habitats and advocating for Kaikōura’s banded dotterel seabirds.

‘‘I am really delighted. To have official backing from the council is really helpful,’’ she said.

‘‘It takes a lot of courage for political decisions, but I think people are starting to understand that we need to take action.’’

She said national media coverage of Kaikōura’s successful dark sky sanctuary bid and the proposed world heritage site bid are helping to raise awareness of the plight of wildlife.

The dark sky movement was initiated by efforts to protect the native Hutton’s shearwater seabirds which become disorientated and crash land due to the street lights.

Ms McGilvary-Howard said when she first started advocating for the dotterels people questioned why it was important and ‘‘is this a people thing?’’.

People even assumed she hated animals, but she has a dog of her own and has been a cat owner.

‘‘It is about making it better for every body and just giving birds more space.

‘‘Cats are domesticated and they need human care to live really good lives.

‘‘They have evolved with us and so we need to care for them.’’

Council policy planner Daniel Hirst said conversations have already begun with Environment Canterbury and Department of Conversation staff based in Kaikōura about taking joint action.

He suggested establishing restricted areas along the coastline on council reserve land around the town and on coastline further south, which is owned by Land Information New Zealand.

‘‘We could prohibit quad bikes and cats, but allow people to walk in those areas without a bylaw.’’

While the council could euthanise a feral cat, it was a crime to harm a domestic cat.

‘‘Most of these cats are not feral, they are strays. They have left their owners, but are often still supported by humans,’’ Mr Hirst said.

‘‘If we trap them we would need to hand them over to the SPCA, which would try to rehome them.’’

He said the council could work with the SPCA to advocate for and even subsidise microchipping and desexing.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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