Spooked gannet chicks plunge to death

By REBECCA WALSH

Up to 16 baby gannets are believed to have died after plunging 15m to rocks and sea when a teenage boy ran among their nesting area at Muriwai Beach.

The teenager allegedly jumped the platform railings and clambered down a steep bank to the bird colony on Auckland's west coast.

He is believed to have waved a stick around, sending the older birds flying and causing younger, flightless ones to jump.

The incident will be investigated by the Department of Conservation.

It is understood the teenager is a resident at a home for people with head injuries.

Muriwai Regional Park ranger Erika Kuschel said fishermen on the rocks below estimated 30 juvenile birds jumped off the cliff.

Seventeen landed on rocks. Three died, eight were returned to the nesting area on Saturday night and six are being cared for by Henderson bird lover Lyn Macdonald.

The rest are thought to have drowned.

Ms Kuschel said it was probably the worst incident she had encountered at the park.

Lyn Macdonald said the birds were too young to be returned to the colony as they would not be able to find their way back to their nests. She estimated they would go back in about a month.

In the meantime it would cost about $50 a week to feed each one.

Department of Conservation manager Warwick Murray said it was possible the teenager had committed an offence under the Wildlife Act and could be charged with endangering or putting at risk a protected species. A fine of up to $1500 could be applied.

"By and large people are exceptionally well behaved and do respect the birds' nesting area," he said. "We shouldn't leap into knee-jerk reactions and say let's put a fortress around them. One of the special things is it's one of the few mainland areas accessible to the public where gannets nest."

Other colonies are at Cape Kidnappers and Farewell Spit.