Dog's injury hampers predator search

A specialist stoat-sniffing dog sent to Kapiti Island has broken its leg in a fall. File photo / NZ Herald

A specialist stoat-sniffing dog sent to Kapiti Island has broken its leg in a fall, hampering efforts to track down the predator in the bird sanctuary.

Crete, a border terrier/fox terrier cross, was sent to Kapiti Island to find a stoat spotted by Department of Conservation (DOC) workers more than two weeks ago.

DOC Kapiti area manager Rob Stone said today Crete fell off a bluff on Tuesday.

"The dog will be out of action for quite a while.

"In rugged country the dog got pretty excited," Mr Stone told Radio New Zealand.

Before the accident, the dog had found some droppings that might have come from a stoat.

DOC is trying to find another stoat-detector dog to finish the job.

- NZPA