Second incident adds to gull toll

AN investigation into the mass killing of protected seabirds at Taiaroa Head is progressing ‘‘favourably’’ in regards to finding those responsible, police say.

It comes as it was discovered the total number of redbilled gulls purposefully run over at the Royal Albatross car park earlier this month was closer to 70 birds, rather than the previously reported 30.

Otago Peninsula Trust ecotourism manager Hoani Langsbury said the CCTV that showed two cars and a quad bike hooning around the car park early on February 6, also showed another car doing a Uturn into a flock of gulls later that morning.

It brought the number of gulls killed to about 70.

Mr Langsbury said it was only two to three weeks before the redbilled gulls would be leaving the headland, and the 70 gulls killed made up about 4% of the colony from this breeding season.

The distressing incident could affect how many gulls returned.

‘‘Our estimate . . . is that about 20% of the chicks that fledge from there return as adults, so it may be that with this season’s breeders we only see 15% return.’’

The colony at Taiaroa Head was the only colony in New Zealand that was not in decline, he said.

Mr Langsbury said he had managed to go out to the headland at night and safely navigate the car park, at a slow speed, without killing any birds. ‘‘It is about acting appropriately.’’

It seemed whoever was responsible did not value redbilled gulls and their place in the natural environment, he said.

‘‘They probably just see them as pests, when actually redbilled gulls are good indicators of the heath of the marine environment — they’re surface foragers, they don’t go into town and forage from people.’’

The birds should be treated with respect, he said.

Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen said a police investigation into the incident was ‘‘progressing favourably’’ in regards to identifying those responsible.