The Kaikōura Wildlife Centre Trust is seeking a ministerial review of the Department of Conservation's decision not to vaccinate little penguins against bird flu.
By Penny Smith for RNZ
Australian media reported that a Phillip Island little penguin had died from the virus.
The Department of Conservation's H5 bird Flu programme lead Suliana Teasdale said its vaccination programme focused on up to 30 threatened bird species that were considered at high risk from H5 bird flu and faced a risk of extinction if the virus had a significant impact.
"These species generally have small populations. Kororā do not meet these criteria. If the disease risk for kororā changes, DOC will adapt its management strategies, as planned for all species at risk from H5 bird flu," she said.
The Kaikōura Wildlife Centre Trust's Manager Sabrina Luecht said that approach was short sighted.
She said little penguins were at risk of mass localised extinctions.
"If we do not act in terms of vaccinations we will lose these birds within a season or two. It will be total extinction because of the starvation impacts that already exist," she said.
Luecht added that Kaikōura kororā presented an exceptional case.
"For a remnant population of 50 kororā on the brink of regional extinction, faced with severe existing pressures such as starvation, a HPAI outbreak will have unprecedented consequences from which the population simply cannot recover," she said.
Luecht said DOC had not considered the Kaikōura kororā's extreme vulnerability, existing extinction threat and small population size.
"In the wake of HPAI spreading, Australia is planning to vaccinate thousands of little penguins in the state of Victoria. This makes for an excellent comparative case, for why New Zealand should be vaccinating feasible kororā populations at sites such as Kaikōura in New Zealand," she said.
"DOC cannot simply ignore this critically time sensitive issue any further, nor argue against the need and viability of implementing a kororā vaccination programme."
The Department of Conservation's Suliana Teasdale said the MPI had approved tranche 2 of its vaccination plan, which would allow it to extend vaccination to up to 25 additional priority species where it would provide the greatest protection.
"Planning for this work is underway. We are currently working through which species will be vaccinated in tranche 2. Before making final decisions, we are engaging with mana whenua and stakeholders and continuing to assess the risk to those species as the H5 bird flu situation evolves in New Zealand," she said.
Minister for Conservation Tama Potaka said MPI-approved vaccination for wildbirds was currently limited to threatened bird species, considered to be at high risk from the bird flu.
"DOC's vaccination programme is currently focused on up to 30 threatened bird species. Kororā do not meet the criteria for the vaccination under the current approval which I recognise may be disappointing for the Trust and some members of the community."
Potaka said he acknowledged the Trust's work support the resilience of Kaikoura Kororā with its predator control, encouraging them to continue their efforts.
"I also want to reaffirm that vaccination is just one part of the full range of work DOC is undertaking around H5 bird flu, including surveillance, biosecurity, preparedness, and work with Iwi, conservation partners, and other agencies."
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