Two Petrels return to the wild

Two sub-antarctic seabirds have been successfully released back to sea after receiving care at Wellington Zoo, with a little help from the Maritime Unit of the Wellington District Police.

A Kerguelen Petrel and a Northern Giant Petrel that were found just days apart near Wellington by members of the community were likely to have been blown in during recent storms. After being reported to the Department of Conservation, the birds were treated at The Nest Te Kōhanga, Wellington Zoo’s animal hospital and centre for native wildlife veterinary care.

“The Kerguelen Petrel was found near Waimea Stream at Waikanae Beach, and it was underweight and dehydrated with bent feathers,” said Senior Veterinarian Dr Baukje Lenting. “Its condition indicated that it was likely caught in some of the stormy weather we have been experiencing lately. The bird was rehydrated and checked for injuries, and then we built up its body condition through quality food.”

The Northern Giant Petrel had been found in Pukerua Bay, unable to fly.

“When it arrived at The Nest Te Kōhanga, the Northern Giant Petrel was dehydrated and very weak,” said Dr Lenting. “A general health check revealed that it was in renal failure and was anaemic. We were able to treat it with fluids for its dehydration and treat the renal failure and anaemia to get this bird back to full health.”

The treatments were not without their difficulties. Seabirds in human care are at risk of losing the waterproof nature of their feathers, so the team had to use towels when handling the birds and give them plenty of time swimming in the salt-water pool to maintain their feather quality.

“While there are many seabirds that can be successfully released back on the shore, Giant Petrels usually need a run-up on the water or a certain wind strength to take to flight, so a sea release is ideal for this species,” said Dr Lenting

“Returning seabirds like these Petrels back to the wild is an important investment that the Zoo makes to conservation in New Zealand,” said Dr Lenting. “Saving native wildlife is a crucial part of the work we do at The Nest Te Kōhanga, and returning native animals to the wild makes an important contribution to Wellington Zoo’s conservation work.”

“We’re grateful to the Maritime Unit for helping us get these birds out to sea so they can make their way back to the wild. Working with the Department of Conservation and the Wellington District Police to get this bird back to the wild highlights the collaborative nature of conservation work.”

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