The Kea Conservation Trust (KCT) welcomes the entry of a conviction against a Nelson man, Robert Derek Aberson, charged with shooting at and killing a kea in his local Tasman community. The KCT also commends the Department of Conservation for pressing for the imposition of a minimum fine of $15,000 on the defendant, however we are disappointed that no fine was imposed by the court and only a sentence of 200 hours of community service handed out. We believe this does not reflect the severity of his actions towards an endangered taonga species, or the impact on the local community. Submissions were received from local iwi, conservation groups and individuals all urging that a strong message be sent that harming of native wildlife will not be tolerated, and in particular, that there is absolutely zero tolerance to harming kea in the area. It is felt the sentencing did not reflect the local communities’ views in this instance.
Harming of kea considered to be damaging human property or considered a ‘nuisance’ is not supported by the majority of people living in kea habitat. The majority of local people recognise how fortunate we are to have these rare parrots in our neighbourhood and are staunch advocates for the protection of these birds. Many of these people are appalled at the actions of this individual.
Andrea Goodman, who works in kea conflict resolution for the Kea Conservation Trust, is regularly phoned by people in the Tasman region who have kea fly over, or visit their property. “While we all know kea can sometimes be a challenge, there are some simple ways to protect and kea-proof our property. Many people are living harmoniously with kea in their community. It is also important to remember that just because kea visit, they may not become an issue.”
With a population of less than 5000 left in the world, the Tasman region is one of the few places we can encounter kea.
The KCT advises people to NEVER feed kea as this may encourage kea damage, and to contact the Trust immediately you are experiencing any issues so we can help. We also ask that local communities help protect remnant South Island kea populations by contacting us if you know of anyone harming or killing kea in your local area.
For more information, visit the Kea Conservation Trust Community Conflicts Resolution project
http://www.keaconservation.co.nz/projects/community-kea-conflicts-resolution-programme/