Weka hitches a 300km ride to Christchurch

Ranger the weka at the end of his 300km drive. Photo / RNZ / Kim Ranger

By RNZ

• A weka named Ranger was returned to the West Coast after hitching a 300-kilometre ride to Christchurch.
• The Department of Conservation urges people to check vehicles for wildlife when camping or outdoors.
• Two wētā also made a similar trip and were returned to the West Coast for release.

A weka nicknamed Ranger has been returned to the West Coast, after climbing into a ute and hitching a 300km ride to Christchurch.

The Department of Conservation says it is a reminder to people to check their vehicles for wildlife when camping or in the outdoors, after two wētā recently made a similar trip inside a wetsuit and had to be returned to the West Coast.

Kim Ranger and her partner Ian stopped at Berlins campsite near Inangahua over Easter weekend, where it is thought the weka took advantage of an open door and climbed into their ute, hiding among dog blankets while they were packing up.

Ranger said Ian drove home without realising he had a feathered stowaway in the back.

“He didn’t hear it, didn’t see it, nothing. He got home to Christchurch and hopped out and didn’t notice the weka,” she said.

At home, she opened the rear door of the ute and saw the weka in the footwell.

“I couldn’t stop laughing and then I came the realisation, what on earth do you do with a weka in Christchurch?”

She nicknamed the bird “Ranger”, given its temporary home in their ute and her last name.

She called the after hours vets, SPCA and the Department of Conservation, who all advised them to leave it in the ute and wait until the next morning.

“The weka didn’t show any signs of being distressed, when you opened the door he just stood on the centre console and pooped - though he did set off the car alarm at 7 in the morning. The inside of the ute was literally covered in weka poop.”

DoC staff took the weka to the South Island Wildlife Hospital in Christchurch for a check-up, where it was given fluids for dehydration.

DoC biodiversity supervisor Craig Alexander said it was a reminder to people to check their vehicles for wildlife when camping or in the outdoors.

“We were able to get [the weka] back over to the West Coast in a small carrier cage on a bus and it was released near the area it had hitched a ride from.

“There are no wild weka in Christchurch so we wouldn’t want to see them accidentally introduced here. It’s a good reminder for people to be mindful about unintentionally transporting animals in their equipment.”

Ranger the weka left behind plenty of mess in the ute. Photo / RNZ / Kim Ranger

Alexander said the two wētā accidentally brought to Christchurch inside a wetsuit from the West Coast were also taken back to the coast for release.

“Our native species are unique but, in many places, they’re doing it tough because of things like introduced predators and habitat loss. We don’t want to accidentally introduce new species – even native ones – into places they don’t belong as they could have unexpected impacts on our ecosystems.”

He said anyone who found a native animal that had hitched a ride somewhere should contact DoC on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) for advice on what to do next.

– RNZ