INJURED: Maureen the karearea has had a toe amputated after being found injured. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
INJURED: Maureen the karearea has had a toe amputated after being found injured. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Wingspan staff fear one of the Rotorua Museum falcons might never return to her inner city roost, after its toe had to be amputated.
Two weeks ago volunteers monitoring the three karearea (New Zealand falcon) noticed Te Rangi Rere I Waho, known affectionately as "Maureen" after the late Maureen Waaka,was limping and looking generally unwell.
She was captured by staff from Wingspan, the National Bird of Prey Centre, and taken to Central City Vets in Rotorua for treatment. They found she had a significant abrasion on one of her legs and a smaller abrasion on one of her wings.
This week Wingspan staff noticed the tissue around a toe was starting to blacken.
"We were hoping it would only be from a knuckle down but the vet noticed the whole toe had to go," said Wingspan raptor aviculturalist Ineke Smets.
"We're not too concerned about it as it's the equivalent of our pinkie and not the important back toe. She's already bearing weight on it but our biggest concern is whether she will get movement back in that foot."
Ms Smets said if Maureen couldn't move the foot it might be because of further nerve damage and blood supply problems, which could mean another amputation.
"If she can't grab on to food then that's a major. She's not out of the woods yet. Potentially we could use her here as a breeding bird, but as long as that foot stays the way it is the chances of her returning to the museum are slim."
The three karearea were released at the museum earlier this year in the first urban release of a threatened species in New Zealand and had proved popular with locals and visitors.
