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A possum is caught on camera attacking a kea nest - Source: ONE News -
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A kea research project on the West Coast has come up with graphic evidence of stoats and possums killing and eating New Zealand's rare native parrot.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) said that of the 11 kea nests installed with cameras, stoats killed chicks in two of them. They said the footage captured made for grim viewing.
"The most staggering part is it takes two and a half hours for the stoats to kill the chick and it remains in the nest for the whole time," said DOC's Brent Barrett.
While in captivity keas are safe from predators, however, in the wild they nest in holes in the ground, providing easy access for stoats and possums.
Although DOC staff were aware possums raided the nests of smaller birds, the video footage captured is their first proof that the pests kill kea.
"The possum predation is surprising," admitted Barrett, who described an instance in which a possum pulled a juvenile kea out to the entrance of its nest and ate it in front of the camera.
The research has confirmed many conservationists' worst fears.
Forest & Bird said the evidence shows vigilance is needed with pest control, with up to 50% of nests on the West Coast lost.
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