Department of Conservation Visit

Today we had Helen and Tom from D.O.C visit our school to talk about native animals and plants and the pests that harm them. We talked about how some birds are becoming endangered because the ferrets, stoats and weasels are eating the baby chicks and the eggs. We also looked at how the native animals in the waterways are being hurt by the introduced pests like Rudd and Koi Carp and the "rock snot" and other noxious weeds. The children then went outside and had to practise finding and cleaning nets and shoes and other things that we might take to the river to rid them of the noxious weeds. We also saw inside a wild cats stomach and saw rabbit ears, feathers, a rabbit's nose and other things it had been dining on. That - I must say - was a little gross! - and something we will all remember for a long, long time.