Beaches off-limits to kids after mystery dog deaths
4:00AM Wednesday Aug 05, 2009
By Eloise Gibson
A sign at Takapuna Beach warns owners to keep their dogs off the beach until further notice. Photo / Greg Bowker
Health authorities have issued an alert for all eastern Auckland and Hauraki Gulf beaches following the death of two dogs and illness in more than a dozen others.
They advise against swimming or taking children to any beaches in the region because an unknown poison is suspected to have caused the dog deaths.
More than 1000 fish and some penguins and seabirds also washed up dead around the same time dog owners began reporting their pets’ illness.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is carrying out urgent tests to find out what killed the dogs and fish that washed up in Rodney District and at Long Bay. There have been unconfirmed reports of dogs becoming seriously ill on beaches as far afield as Eastern Beach in Manukau and Waiheke Island.
Read full article from The New Zealand Herald.
Filed under: Ali Perkins, News/Current Affairs
On this note – the trip planned for this Sunday on the club boat has been called off. Keep an eye out for the next outing – it will be posted on the upcoming trips page.
Nature cruel but penguin deaths normal.
A large number of little blue penguins washing up on our shores have had authorities and the public concerned, however tests show that the Tauranga deaths are just part of nature’s cycle.
“This time of year is always challenging for the local penguin population” says Tauranga Biodiversity Programme Manager, Chris Clark. “Juveniles that have left their nests will sometimes fail to forage or get caught in stormy seas, and die”.
Date: 12 August 2009
http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/news/media-releases/nature-cruel-but-penguin-deaths-normal/
Public concern over wildlife deaths in Hauraki Gulf.
You may be concerned about recent media reports of dog, fish and other marine wildlife deaths in the Hauraki Gulf. DOC is also concerned about this issue and has been working as part of an inter-agency group led by the Auckland Regional Council to investigate the causes of the deaths.
Testing carried out by scientists, veterinary surgeons and veterinary pathologists ruled out brodifacoum poisoning from the very beginning of the investigations. Brodifacoum, not 1080 was used in the recent Rangitoto/Motutapu restoration project.
Summary of investigation results:
http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/news/issues/public-concern-over-wildlife-deaths-in-hauraki-gulf/
Beaches still risky, health officials warn.
School holidays and the onset of daylight saving are set to tempt Aucklanders back to the beach, however public health officers are warning parents to closely watch children – and look out for toxic sea slugs.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10600017
Sea slugs still pose threat to beach users.
Health warnings remain for Auckland beaches about toxic sea slugs although it has been three months since the outbreak that killed six dogs.
“Slugs are still out there and still have the toxin in them,” said medical officer of health Simon Baker.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10619463