State-owned enterprise killing kiwi
Save Happy Valley Coalition : 24th September 2006
Despite findings that kiwi could be extinct on the mainland within twenty years, state-owned coal miner Solid Energy continues to hunt, kill and possess kiwi in one of their natural strongholds, the Stockton plateau, and plan to kill more if they proceed with their Happy Valley mine, says the Save Happy Valley Coalition.
"Habitat protection is going to become increasingly critical for this species. Solid Energy is currently mining habitat of great spotted kiwi at Mt Augustus (Stockton mine), and plan to destroy a prime area in Happy Valley," says Frances Mountier, Spokesperson for the Coalition.
"According to an independent review, New Zealand's Biodiversity Strategy is failing to protect natural areas and species on public and private land. This is no surprise when the Government's own bulldozers are desecrating high value habitat," says Ms Mountier.
"Which is more important to New Zealanders - habitat for our most iconic species, or an opencast coal mine?"
The Save Happy Valley Coalition has received information from the Department of Conservation under the Official Information Act on a recent application from Solid Energy for further Wildlife Permits to kill yet more endangered species at their Stockton mine, including great spotted kiwi, Powelliphanta patrickensis and absolutely protected lizards.
ENDS
Media Contact
Frances Mountier, Spokesperson, Save Happy Valley Coalition
021 175 7484
Independent review on New Zealand's Biodiversity Strategy which found kiwi at risk of extinction on mainland within 20 years
http://www.doc.govt.nz/whats-new/presult.asp?prID=2341
OIA information
On August 2nd, Solid Energy applied to hunt, kill and possess Powelliphanta "patrickensis" and great spotted kiwi from within mining block Z12 of the company's Stockton coal mining licence.
In order to mine prime kiwi and snail habitat, Solid Energy will attempt:
1. "surveying for, collecting and translocating a small number of Powelliphanta "patrickensis" from within the Z12 mining block to adjacent similar habitat outside the block." -- a technique that is still not proven successful. It certainly misses numerous nocturnal snails and destroys their habitat.
2. "Capturing, radio tagging, monitoring and if necessary translocating a small number of great spotted kiwi" -- Kiwi are a national icon and we should not be experimenting with their lives. To write assurances that they will be shifted if they wonder into the path of machinery is amateurish.
On 11th September the application was amended to cover more than 12 mining blocks and any absolutely protected wildlife present.
