Injured raptors need specialist care
A South Canterbury sanctuary caring for sick and injured birds of prey is urging members of the public not to try and keep them as pets.
In the past 12 months, 30 birds have passed through the care of the twoyear-old Timaru-based New Zealand Raptor trust with varied success depending on the nature of their injuries.
The trust, formed in late 2016 by a group of people concerned about the wellbeing of harriers, falcons, moreporks and owls, now provides housing and care for sick, injured and orphaned raptors.
However, the trust was still seeing ‘‘unfortunate cases’’ of people trying to keep injured or juvenile hawks as pets.
"This never has a positive outcome,’’ trust secretary Ron Lindsay said.
‘‘These birds care and feeding.
‘‘It is illegal for people without the adequate permit to hold these birds.
‘‘They need to be surrendered to the Department of Conservation or a raptor rescue operation like ourselves.’’
Over the past two years, the trust has established a facility at a site at Redruth where it houses a raptor rehabilitation wing. The site was developed with three shipping containers
‘‘These birds require specialist care and feeding.’’ New Zealand Raptor Trust secretary Ron Lindsay
require specialist housing the birds following funding from the Community Trust of Mid and South Canterbury, donations from local businesses and help from the Timaru District Council.
‘‘We have been developing the grounds and containers at Redruth and are almost ready to get power and water put in, which will make life a lot easier for us being able to do all of the cleaning of utensils, containers and other things on site.
‘‘It was a council requirement tag that we have all the containers on concrete piles before we could put power on as this was to stop a buildup of methane under the containers.’’
Lindsay said wet weather had prevented the trust from getting trucks on to the site to move the containers back in to place.
The trust had secured a major sponsor who had underwritten vet expenses, he said.
Lindsay said the trust had also developed a schools education programme which would be rolled out across South Canterbury in 2019.
‘‘This has so far been well received in the schools that we have presented to.
‘‘Education and advocacy are a big part of the aims of the trust.’’
In the immediate future the trust ‘‘really needs’’ people who would be willing to be on the board and help govern the trust, Lindsay said.
‘‘These would be people with a background in business, finance and fundraising.
‘‘We will also be calling for and training volunteers to feed and medicate the birds, look after the grounds and become first responders, going out to capture or pick up injured birds.
‘‘We are also struggling to raise funds to progress the vision of having an education centre and large rehab flight and flying display area on site.’’
Anyone keen to get involved is encouraged to email admin@nzraptor. co.nz, go to the New Zealand Raptor Trust Facebook page or contact 027 448 9044.