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Dunedin metropolis councillor Sophie Barker, flocked by red-billed gulls within the Octagon yesterday, says we have to be taught to like our airborne neighbours. Photograph / Stephen Jaquierry
Gulls pestering Dunedin diners are simply mother and father determined to feed their younger “in an more and more hostile world”, a metropolis councillor says.
Former Otago Peninsula Belief advertising and marketing supervisor and councillor Sophie Barker has swooped in to defend the birds after claims from companies that gull aggression within the metropolis is on the rise.
Not less than one cafe enterprise has resorted to arming clients with spray bottles to ward them off.
Barker mentioned red-billed (tarāpunga) and black-billed (tarāpuka) gulls — two protected species — have been misunderstood.
“Gulls have always been opportunists.
“They’re working laborious at the moment of the 12 months to feed their chicks, so they might be a bit extra determined than normal.”
It was unlawful to intervene with red-billed gulls, so spray bottles weren’t an applicable choice.
She urged seaside companies advise clients to maintain watch and to not feed them, irrespective of how tempting it might be.
“Simply wave the cheeky birds away, and don’t go away your meal unattended — that’s an open invitation.
“Although they exhibit some scraggly behaviour, we should always be taught to like them as a helpful treasure in our metropolis.
“They’re simply wildlife attempting to outlive in an more and more hostile world.”
Division of Conservation coastal Otago operations supervisor Gabe Davis mentioned there was a false impression that as a result of gulls have been fairly seen, that meant the species should be doing nicely.
Whereas the variety of red-billed gulls was growing in coastal Otago, they have been declining nationally, as have been black-billed gulls.
Foraging for scraps was a behaviour gulls had discovered from people and outside diners might intervene by not leaving meals scraps mendacity round exterior, he mentioned.
“Not solely does it reinforce a destructive stereotype of them being a nuisance, the meals they’re preventing over doesn’t have the correct vitamins wanted to develop eggs and chicks.
“Cease leaving garbage out and accessible.
“Don’t feed gulls scraps, and clear tables rapidly at locations gulls are identified to frequent.”
Dunedin environmentalist Jamie Lynds, of Opoho, was one in every of a number of residents who contacted the Otago Each day Occasions to share their shut encounters with gulls.
A gull as soon as ripped a sandwich roll from her fingers exterior New World Centre Metropolis earlier than a flock “engulfed” the downed lunch.
Regardless of the expertise, and the empty abdomen, gulls didn’t deserve the dangerous rap they acquired, Lynds mentioned.
“I hope there’s a greater, harmonious relationship for all on the market.”
Taylor Baughan, of Mornington, mentioned a bunch of gulls adopted him via the Octagon on Saturday earlier than he was dive-bombed by two birds who “took a piece out of my pie”.
It isn’t clear how lots of the gulls frequenting the interior metropolis additionally frequent the Inexperienced Island Landfill, the place greater than 8000 southern black-backed gulls (karoro) have been counted.
In an preliminary gull administration plan for the landfill, the Dunedin Metropolis Council mentioned the brand new inexperienced bin for meals and natural waste to be launched mid-year would enable for the elimination of meals for the birds from the final waste stream, leading to an anticipated lower in gulls in the long run.
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