Crashing petrels moving south as lights dimmed in Punakaiki
23 Dec, 2020 06:31 PM
4 minutes to read
RNZ
By Tracy Neal of RNZ
The mystery of why native Westland petrel fledglings keep crash-landing on the West Coast continues, after new LED street lights through Punakaiki were switched off to try to help them during their maiden flights.
Each year the fledglings leave the comfort of their coastal burrows, and fly to rich feeding grounds 11,000km east across the Pacific Ocean.
RNZ reported last summer the petrels were being dazed by bright new LED lights along the highway through Punakaiki, causing them to crash-land.