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RNZ News
05-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Weka hitches a 300 kilometre ride to Christchurch
Ranger the weka at the end of his 300km drive. Photo: Supplied / Kim Ranger A weka nicknamed Ranger has been returned to the West Coast, after climbing into a ute and hitching a 300 kilometre ride to Christchurch. The Department of Conservation says it is a reminder to people to check their vehicles for any wildlife when camping or in the outdoors, after two wētā recently made a similar trip inside a wetsuit and also had to be returned to the West Coast. DOC Mahaanui Biodiversity Supervisor Craig Alexander removes Ranger from its temporary home. Photo: Supplied / Kim Ranger Kim Ranger and her partner Ian stopped at Berlins campsite near Inangahua over Easter weekend, where it is thought the weka took advantage of an open door and climbed into their ute, hiding among dog blankets while they were packing up. Ranger said Ian then drove home without realised he had a feathered stowaway in the back. "He didn't hear it, didn't see it, nothing. He got home to Christchurch and hopped out and didn't notice the weka," she said. At home, she opened the rear door of the ute and saw the weka in the footwell. "I couldn't stop laughing and then I came the realisation, what on earth do you do with a weka in Christchurch?" She nicknamed the bird "Ranger", given its temporary home in their ute and her last name. She called the after hours vets, SPCA and the Department of Conservation, who all advised them to leave it in the ute and wait until the next morning. "The weka didn't show any signs of being distressed, when you opened the door he just stood on the centre console and pooped - though he did set off the car alarm at 7 in the morning. The inside of the ute was literally covered in weka poop." DOC staff took the weka to the South Island Wildlife Hospital in Christchurch for a check up, where it was given fluids for dehydration. DOC biodiversity supervisor Craig Alexander said it was a reminder to people to check their vehicles for any wildlife when camping or in the outdoors. "We were able to get [the weka] back over to the West Coast in a small carrier cage on a bus and it was released near the area it had hitched a ride from. "There are no wild weka in Christchurch so we wouldn't want to see them accidentally introduced here. It's a good reminder for people to be mindful about unintentionally transporting animals in their equipment." Ranger the weka left behind plenty of mess in the ute. Photo: Supplied / Kim Ranger Alexander said the two wētā accidentally brought to Christchurch inside a wetsuit from the West Coast were also taken back to the coast for release. "Our native species are unique but, in many places, they're doing it tough because of things like introduced predators and habitat loss. We don't want to accidentally introduce new species - even native ones - into places they don't belong as they could have unexpected impacts on our ecosystems." He said anyone who found a native animal that had hitched a ride somewhere it should not have should contact DOC on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) for advice on what to do next. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
Wild stowaway takes secret 280km trip in camper's ute: 'Couldn't stop laughing'
Weekend campers were shocked to discover an odd-looking flightless bird had secretly hitched a ride in their ute and travelled into a bustling city. The weka is believed to have begun its journey in the Buller Gorge on New Zealand's South Island and travelled 280km north to Christchurch. Although the birds are known for their loud 'coo-et' call each night, the stowaway was completely quiet during the trip. And the couple remained unaware of its presence until they opened the door and saw him sitting calmly in the footwell of their Ford Ranger. 'When I got home, I opened the back door of the Ranger to get something, there it was in the rear passenger footwell,' camper Kim Ranger said. 'I couldn't stop laughing and then I came to the realisation, what on earth do you do with a weka in Christchurch?' Related: 18 of world's rarest birds released to create new wild population The west coast species are the most common species of weka, and while it is not listed as endangered, its numbers have declined since human settlement. Moving them to new parts of the country can upset fragile ecosystems, upsetting lizards, seabirds and other species of ground-based birds. Unsure how to immediately respond to the weka, Kim locked it in her car with food and water, then called the Department of Conservation (DOC) for help. What happened next will take a long time to properly fix. 'The weka didn't show any signs of being distressed, when you opened the door he just stood on the centre console and pooped — though he did set off the car alarm at 7 in the morning. The inside of the ute was literally covered in weka poop.' Record-breaking change for 'near invisible' bird New Aussie invention set to halt spread of invasive predators Photo reveals 'surprising' change at popular holiday lake Pictures released by New Zealand's Department of Conservation on Monday show how bad the mess was. White bird poo can be seen strewn across the seats, dashboard and floor mats. The weka's ordeal began on the Easter weekend. Since then, he's been assessed by a vet and returned home. DOC says the ordeal should serve as a reminder to campers entering a wilderness to check their vehicles for stowaways. 'There are no wild weka in Christchurch so we wouldn't want to see them accidentally introduced here. It's a good reminder for people to be mindful about unintentionally transporting animals in their equipment,' its biodiversity supervisor Craig Alexander said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
