Arthur’s pass tourists love Kea, but the locals are desperately trying to keep them away

A campaign to discourage the charismatic charismatic parrot of the New Zealand mountain, the KEA, to go out at a tourist access point, seems to be working.

At Arthur’s Pass Café on a sunny autumn day, each table is full. Employees are hardworking to accompany coffee orders and clean the tables. When an outdoor table is momentarily vague, a KEA takes advantage of your chance. It lands on the table evaluating the probability of leftovers. He pokes a spoon with his pissed black beak, kisses in crumbs and then apparently unhappy – sends a plate hitting the floor before jumping.

A crowd gathers and the cameras click. Visitors are delighted with the show. Local inhabitants are less happy. For them, even a human food of KEA’s elimination is still too much.

Conservationist Arthur Step Renée Habluetzel spent four years trying to dissuade Kea – New Zealand’s second largest native parrot (Kākāpō is larger) to reach the city. When she assumed her role as coordinator of community engagement with Kea Conservation Trust in 2021, KEA was abundant, especially in coffee, where she stole food from dishes and hands and hands and poses for fearless selfies.

“They are such fun birds,” she says. “They will do anything to get your attention.” But their love for the center of attention is also the fall.

When birds arrive in the city to scour human food, they cross busy roads. Either they land on car handles or surf on their roofs until they fall and are hit by passing vehicles. Between 2020 and 2022, 12 KEA were killed by cars, including eight in the village of Arthur. Habluetzel says the autopsies revealed

She says the food they steal from their suction cups and avoids the distribution of seeds. Some foods, such as chocolate, contain toxic ingredients for them.

In the cities, Kea also baca leads on nails or flashes -will be tangled on electric wires. Lead from weights or flashes -pneus cause damage to the nervous system, inadequate organs and eventually death. Florest and Bird spends up to $ 10,000 a year treating the debauched KEA. In other words, “cities are deadly traps,” says Habluetzel.

KEA is now listed as “nationally threatened and threatened.” It is thought that they number less than 5,000.

The KEA Conservation Trust was established in a 2006 campaign to preserve KEA in its natural habitat and research issues related to them. Habluetzel was appointed to coordinate Trust’s activities and monitor KEA on Arthur’s pass, a popular stopping point for travelers between the southern and west island. “Don’t interpret me badly,” she says, “I’m not a good two shoes trying to kill people’s fun. It was once, I would have fed Kea because they are so much fun to have around. Now I know we’re hurting birds, encouraging them in our world.”

She says attitudes in the village have also changed and more people are spreading the message about the dangers of human interaction. Kea road deaths have shrunk in the last 10 months.

Today, in Arthur’s pass – including the coffee – the posters ask people who do not feed KEA. Other efforts were made to remove any objects on private property that may be a threat. In 2018, KCT guaranteed more than $ 1 million jobs for nature (Mahi Mō Teao), a government initiative that funds programs that benefit the environment. The money was used to remove lead nails and moves from the houses. “The residents were delighted. They got a toast and emphasized our message,” says Habluetzel.

The departure of the village of a resident who refused to stop feeding KEA also had an impact. Habluetzel says the man continued to feed the birds, despite repeated warnings of the Conservation Department. “The birds were killed as they flying the road to access the food. When he left the city two years ago, the birds continued to appear on the property for the food.” Habluetzel posted on -line photos of berries and other foods to guarantee people who would not hungry.

Sean Moran, who rented Arthur’s Pass Café for 10 years, is also in love with Kea, but he says the biggest threat to his survival is not access to human food, his predators. “We need to do more to get rid of the pests and worms that attack young people and eat eggs. This goes for all birds.”

He believes Kea will meet in the village, no matter whether there is human food available or not. “They are naturally social birds. They love human contact. If you go up to your natural habitat without food, they still gather around you.” But he I agree that human food is not good for birds. “It’s like giving child whiskey. But some people ignore the signs or don’t understand them. Every day, employees ask people respectfully not to feed birds, but some still do. There is no more than we can do.”

Renée Habluetzel would like the infraction penalties introduced to prevent those who continue to ignore the signs. KEA Conservation Trust, Arthur’s Pass Association and Arthur’s Pass Wildlife Trust sent the Selwyn District Council for a statute to ban non -conservative land feeding except for a conservation goal.

Andrew Spanton, leader of the environmental team at the Selwyn District Council He says that the board investigated the introduction of a statute due to the health effect of KEA and other risks associated with human contact. “If considered appropriate, the Statute would give the Council the authority to interrupt the practice,” he said.

Meanwhile, the lonely Kea at Arthur’s Pass Café Wait patiently for the arrival of the nearby dish. A couple sits at the table. The woman points to the bird and breaks of a piece of your muffin. Her companion pokes her and points to the poster above her head. “Please don’t feed me, ” it says. She puts the piece of muffin in her mouth. Kea flies away.