The department has put an immediate halt to the cull as it investigates both its internal processes and the program with the deerstalkers’ association, which it says is “cooperating fully” with its inquiries.
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According to Baucke, the cull of over-populated pukeko was being conducted by the “experienced members” of the local deerstalkers association in Motutapu sanctuary.
Hunters had been carefully briefed on how to differentiate between the flightless takahe and pukeko, including instructions to only shoot birds on the wing.
An examination shows the birds, which were discovered by DOC staff on the island sanctuary earlier this week, were killed by shotgun pellets.
Deerstalkers Association president Bill O’Leary told Radio New Zealand he was “appalled” by the accidental deaths.
The bird cull was carried out on Motutapu Island, supposedly to target pukeko, which grows abundantly and is a threat to native bird species.
“Guidelines introduced after an incident on Mana Island seven years ago when another takahe was mistakenly shot during a pukeko cull were also used during last week’s cull”.
“There’s no way that they would send their treasured takahe to a sanctuary for it to be slaughtered”, Rino Tirikatene, a member of the New Zealand Parliament told the Herald.
Maori groups said they were angered by the incident, especially after it followed them letting the rare birds be moved from their native South Island for conservation purposes.
He said he shared with DoC a concern that the deaths would affect efforts to save an endangered species, and he apologised to the department and the country at large. Although the pukeko is half the size of the flightless takahe, both species have a similar blue-colored coat of feathers and red beaks.
The population now stands at about 300 birds.
Pukekos, which can fly, number well over 1,000 on Motutapu Island, located 10 miles east of Auckland.
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Conservation Minister Maggie Barry said she was “deeply saddened and very disappointed” by the incident. Two-thirds of the population are now based in “safe sites” including Motutapu, while around 100 live in the wild within Fiordland National Park.
