Page 17 - Sentinel January 2018

WILD SIDE Continued from page 14 ment. We passed. It is hard enough seeing them in the aviaries
where they are in a black-light glass enclosure so we can see
the rabbit pop-
ulation. Now them moving around and doing what Kiwis do.
what could
POSSIBLY go So, the Prime Minister of New Zealand announced an exter-
wrong with mination program called “Predator Free New Zealand 2050,”
that? Gee, I using some kind of “blue sky technology” that no one seems to
think we have know what it is, but it will be terrific. Ahem. They had talked
heard this one about using pieces of poisoned carrots distributed by planes, but
before, like the that could also kill the animals that they are trying to protect.
cane toad on
Hawaii whose A couple of uninhabited islands, Rangitoto and Motutapu, near
mission it was Auckland have been successful in destroying the predators to
to get rid of agricultural save the flightless Lyall’s wren, but not in time. We will be
pests such as the cane visiting Rangitoto and will report back our findings. The efforts
beetle. The cane toads to eliminate mice from the Antipodes Islands has succeeded, in
have a voracious appe- order to protect the seabird chicks and eggs.
tite and the ability to lay
thousands of tadpoles at Ninety percent of New Zealanders are in favor of this ambitious
once. The adults and program. But it comes with a cost. A very big cost. Say $9
the tadpoles have poi- billion over 50 years. Plus, New Zealand is enlisting corporate
sonous glands that are efforts by pledging $1 for every $2 spent by their partners.
toxic to most animals,
especially dogs. The Stay tuned on this one...I will catch you up in 50 years.
most successful control program is through road kill, I do be-
lieve. Short Takes
Here is a shout out with my warmest wishes to all my readers
for a fun and rewarding holiday season...and don’t forget to put
New Zealand has many flightless birds, like the Kiwi, which
never had to fly because of the lack of predators. Along comes out a little something extra for your birdie friends. You will be
man bringing with him the predators, including man, which try greatly rewarded for your efforts with a magnificent display.
to get the feathers and eggs of the luckless birds who cannot And your blood pressure will benefit...
outrun their pursu-
ers. Kiwis are noc- Peace to the world. (But not if you are a feral cat.)
turnal and it makes *****
me wonder if they That’s all, folks, for this month. Gotta run...the birdie popula-
did what the beaver tion is getting restless for a refill of the bird feeders. And I
here did: switched don’t want to re-enact Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds”
from being diurnal by waiting too long to go outside.
to nocturnal to avoid
predation, the bea- Picture Source: Possum – Tasmania Parks; Kiwi – Wikipedia,
vers namely by man’s hand. Weasel - unknown

How to Contact Me: Email is best at susan@larskpurconsulting.
We once stayed on Stewart Island, south of New Zealand’s
South Island, and had the opportunity to go on an 11 p.m. Kiwi com. Alternatively, call my cell phone at (303) 725-6868 or
search, wearing gum boots to slog around in the bog environ- send a short write-up to 2255 Quartz Mountain Drive.

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Perry Park Sentinel November 2017 - Page 17