5 Ways You and Your Pet Can Take Action this Conservation Week

1.  Join a Local Community Group

Local community groups are the backbone of conservation in NZ. There are hundreds of groups all over New Zealand you can join. Depending on where you are, different groups work to restore forests and coastlines; some manage huts, tracks and monitor historic places; some even monitor endangered species. If you are wanting to get outdoors more, meet like-minded people or simply learn a new skill, a local community group could be the answer. Check out DOC’s website for more information

2.  Avian Aversion Training

New Zealand is known for our Kiwi, however, we have many ground-dwelling and easily accessible birds to dogs such as the kakapo, takahe, grey-faced petrel, weka, whio and many more. Apart from their somewhat sharp claws and beaks, our ground-dwelling birds are defenseless against predators. One way you can help is to get your dog through avian awareness and avoidance training. During this training your dog will be exposed to bird decoys and scents and taught how to avoid them in a controlled situation. After a year your dog will be tested on how well their avoidance is and if needed, more training will be provided each year until your dog can consistently demonstrate strong avoidance. Once that is achieved your dog can proudly be certified! Find out more over on DOC’s website, or at Kiwi Avoidance Training

3.  Protect Nesting Shorebirds

Nesting shore birds and dogs (… and humans) don’t mix. Shore birds, like our ground dwelling birds, are defenseless, in fact the way their chicks protect themselves is to not move at all and their parents act as if they are injured to lure predators away from their nest. Their eggs are also camouflaged to protect from predators, however they are so well camouflaged it is easy to trample an unmarked nesting site. A simple way we can help our nesting shorebirds and native plants is to keep dogs on a lead when in areas known for nesting birds and keep off dunes. Our coastal flora, oystercatchers, terns, dotterels and other feathered friends will thank you! 

4.  Snuggle your Cat at Night

Keeping your cat in at night might be the best way to support the wildlife on your property and surrounding neighbours. Cats are fantastic natural hunters, which isn’t good news for our native birds, lizards and insects. Attaching a bell to your cat’s collar is a good way to give wildlife a heads up that a predator is lurking nearby. Keeping your cat indoors also helps to prevent roaming, nasty car accidents and fighting. So, next time you see your cat out at night bring them indoors to do your part for conservation, even small changes like this can have a big impact on wildlife.