Ashlyn Oswalt has shared her top tips for people who are thinking of taking their doggos on a tramp.
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Dogs Day Out event educating dog owners on seven simple steps to share the beach with our precious coastal taonga
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Teach your dog new tricks – like how to avoid kiwi when you head off on your next adventure in the bush.
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By Trudi Ngawhare, Partnerships Ranger, Gisborne
Tiki the conservation dog
Recently, we lost a “totara” for conservation.
Tiki the conservation dog passed away at the prime age of 11 (human) years.
Tiki was based at Motu, in the Gisborne region, with Ranger Joe Waikari and whānau.
He was a small Border Terrier cross who specialised in detecting mustelids (weasels, stoats and ferrets).
Ranger Joe Waikari describes Tiki as an “energizer battery, he never went flat”.
More travelled than most humans, Tiki’s work would take him (and Joe) all over the country: island work; in the back country… anywhere where extensive pest control programmes were in place, to ensure mustelid populations were gone from the area.
Tiki heading to Mokoia Island, Rotorua
Tiki, was part of the Conservation Dog Programme. These detection dogs are trained to locate specific target species—either protected or predator. This helps the handler to capture and monitor protected species, or eradicate the pest species through trapping, poisoning or shooting.
Joe says the highlight in working with Tiki has been “doing our part in protecting our endangered species”.
Tiki was also a public relations specialist, winning over the crowds with his unassuming charm. He attended A&P shows and school talks, and he was a great advocate for conservation efforts with many children declaring that they wanted to go home to teach their dogs to be like Tiki.
Joe and Tiki entertaining a crowd
Also a valued whānau member, Tiki was the champion in the small dogs category at the Matawai School Pet Day a couple of years running.
Tiki is a tribute to all conservation dogs that quietly go about their work (for cuddles and food), making huge gains for conservation.
He whakamaumahara ki a ‘Tiki’, he kuri o te papa atawhai. Moe mai e hoa, moe mai. A tribute to Tiki, the conservation dog. Rest easy friend, rest easy.
Watch this video tribute to Tiki but be careful of ‘dust getting in your eyes’:
By Cherry Beaver, Trustee, Puketi Forest Trust
The Department of Conservation recently organised a kiwi aversion training day at Puketi Forest in the Bay of Islands. The training course was well supported with over 60 dogs and their owners attending ― luckily for the trainers not all at once!
Over 60 dogs attended kiwi aversion training at Puketi Forest, including Nichol
The training days are a really important lesson for any dog that is likely to encounter a kiwi. It is an important tool in teaching dogs that kiwi are something they should stay away from.
As part of the training three model kiwis are placed along a small bush track. The dog wears a collar and receives a mild electric shock when they pass and sniff the kiwi. Generally they only need one shock and they learn to avoid the next bird.
Nichol in the bush during his kiwi aversion training
I took my dog Nichol, and I was amazed at how fast the process worked and how the dogs learn to avoid the kiwi so quickly.
The training is not foolproof and it is recommended that dogs complete the training each year, but many kiwi could be saved if all dogs went through this simple and effective training.
North Island brown kiwi
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