The central North Island iwi Ngāti Rangi and the Department of Conservation say they are devastated over the death of a monitored kiwi, mauled by what is suspected to be a hunting dog.
The kiwi, named Geyser, was released into Rangataua Forest in 2015 alongside two others, which are still doing well.
Helen Leahy, the Ngāti Rangi chief executive of Ngā Waihua o Paerangi, says there are training programmes available for dogs and their owners to protect taonga species.
“That training’s available, its really important that hunters take those precaustions so that we can keep taonga species, like kiwi – but also other native species… the karearea, the kaka, and that we’re able to do what we can to protect them,” says Leahy.
Helen Leahy says they far prefer cooperation to enforcement under the Dog Control Act, which allows the destruction of any dog found to have injured or killed protected wildlife and imposes heavy fines or even possible jail time.
