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Comment by robocat | Hacker News Reader

I live in Christchurch, NZ, and so I see a variety of long distance travellers in the swamplands and estuaries, including bar-tailed godwits at the end of Southshore spit https://newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/draft-godwits-arriva...

A huge amount of housing and infrastructure here wouldn’t be allowed now, because when it was built it would have disrupted rare birds (or perhaps that is why the birds are now rare).

It does make one feel more aware of how the world is connected when you realise that migratory birds need to survive stopovers in other countries like China.

The birds also need to survive in New Zealand, where just a few signs and some social convention prevents dogs from attacking nesting sites (edit: or people disturbing them), and it would be hard to lock down the area since many people would strongly assert their rights to go there.

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I'm in Dunedin, but I didn't even know these birds came here! That's amazing. Do you know if DOC or whoever are planning anything to help?

People aren't allowed to go into the breeding areas on the Otago Peninsula for Albatrosses, surely something similar could be done for these?

I just wish our govt would assert more control in our EEZ from illegal fishing. It's very saddening when you read articles about how the adult birds get caught in the nests etc.

  Yet the most pernicious threats to albatrosses today are not to chicks but to adult birds. Along with other seabirds, they are locked in a competitive battle with humankind for the food resources of the sea—and the birds are losing. This is not just because of the efficiency of modern fishing practices but because fishing equipment—hooks, nets and trawl wires—inflicts a heavy toll of injury and death.[0]

[0] https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/in-harms-way/

The birds get a lot of articles, and the topic is well known to locals. I believe there is a trust that organises some conservation effort for them, but my Google-fu couldn’t find anything online about it.

There are hundreds that nest at the end of the spit. You can see how close to residential areas it is, a short walk: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Southshore,+Christchurch/@...

The reserve gets quite a lot of foot traffic, many locals walking the beach, and some visitors in summer (being at the end of a cul-de-sac helps reduce visitors). It would not surprise me if the end was cordoned off in the future, although I presume that would require a marine reserve status or something as I’m not sure under what circumstances the government can just fence off foreshore areas.

Aside: I recently found one dolphin vertebra, which would be legal to have if I notified the right people. “you are entitled to collect bones, teeth, ivory or ambergris that have already separated naturally from a dead marine mammal provided DOC is notified as soon as possible and are given details of the time, place and circumstances under which these items are found.”[1]. You can’t chop out a bone from a carcass: “if anyone removes any part from a dead marine mammal this also may be interpreted as taking that mammal ... liable to imprisonment for up to 6 months, or a fine of up to $250,000” + $10k per animal. The actual law[2] says: “by any person who finds or collects bones, teeth, ivory, or ambergris that have already separated naturally from a marine mammal if that person, as soon as practicable, notifies the Director-General or an officer of the find, and gives details of the time, place, and circumstances under which the find was made” so notify both?

Aside 2: I found an albatross wing on the beach a few months ago - much longer than my arm. I am pretty sure that it is highly endangered and illegal to even pick that up[3][4]. However a friend is taking it in to the museum where there is someone that can decide what to do with it. I have found dead penguins in Dunedin and Kaikoura, and a penguin wing at Brighton.

[1] https://oceanlaw.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/MarineMamm...

[2] https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1978/0080/latest/...

[3] https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/sites/default/files/tuhinga.25.20...

[4] https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/118796601/fisheries-hook...

>The birds get a lot of articles, and the topic is well known to locals.

I was once told NZ didn't get any bird flu because no Birds fly into NZ due to distance and only migrate outwards as they are the southwest part of map as the reason why they have the best poultry in the industry. Now it turns out that is a flat out lie.

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