Parakeet campaigners vow to carry on to save birds




Mischievous . . . A juvenile kea attempts to break into a West Matukituki Valley predator control trap to take the eggs set up as bait inside. Photo Department of ConservationDepartment of Conservation staff are being outsmarted by "gangs" of mischievous juvenile keas intent on breaking into predator control traps in the West Matukituki Valley, despite heightened security systems aimed at keeping them out.
As it happens, I’ve been looking for the bird all winter, visiting the unpromising-sounding Werribee sewage farm every other week. Since May, I’ve driven an hour out of Melbourne to this place, one of its last, reliable haunts.
Hoki A female kakapo on Whenua Hou. Photo:Laura MollesA young female kakapo found dead on Codfish Island died of salmonella – but celebrity Sirocco and the other critically endangered birds should be safe.
Tests have revealed Purity, found dead two weeks ago, died of the infection, the Department of Conservation said.
Kakapo Recovery Programme manager Deirdre Vercoe Scott said it was the first time salmonella had been recorded in kakapo.
DOC was still testing samples from Purity to find out what strain of the bacteria infected her, Ms Vercoe Scott said.