Ethical Guide to Muriwai

Muriwai holds a special place in my heart. It is a place that has brought me so very close to nature, it has awed me, it has inspired me, and it has brought me a lot of peace. 

Muriwai is the home to hundreds of gannets for six months of the year. They mate here, nest, lay eggs, and raise chicks. All on sometimes precarious cliff edges. I have spent hours simply listening to the calls of gannets or watching them fly above me, their wingspans stretched wide and true. 

So. I thought it may be a good idea to talk about ways to enjoy the gannet colony, without being a bit of a dick.

No Drones

Drones are not allowed without a permit at Muriwai - and even then they are not allowed to fly over the colony. Despite this, some people decide to flout these rules. 

Drones cause stress to the birds, as well causing them to have a predator response to this alien device. This means they may attack the device, expelling energy on this as well as taking them away from other things, such as finding food or looking after eggs/chicks. 

No Feeding the Birds

Gannets are preferably capable of feeding themselves, with their favorite kinds of fish being mackerel, kahawai, pilchards, and anchovies. Feeding them food is dangerous as it is bad for them and can encourage rats, which can prey on their eggs. 

No Throwing Things at the Birds

This may seem obvious, but sometimes the obvious needs to be stated. Do not throw things at an animal. Some kids have been known to throw stones and other debris at the birds, please pay mind to what your children are doing during your trip. 

On this note, do not poke your selfie sticks right up in a gannets grill. This is very disrespectful to the bird and is stress inducing. 

No Dogs

There are strictly no dogs at the Muriwai Gannet Colony. Please pay heed to this, as this is the home to nesting birds and they need rest and a safe place. Dogs are threatening to birds. They can eat them, chase them, and generally run amok. Please keep your dog away from this colony. 

Take your Rubbish with you

Seabirds have been known to ingest plastic as well as feed it to their chicks. This is incredibly bad for the birds and can even lead to death, with some chicks dying from starvation as their stomachs are so filled with plastic. 

If you look around the colony, you can see some rubbish around the nests and with some nests even being made from plastic debris. 

Please make sure you bring all your rubbish with you when you leave the colony. And even better, if you see some rubbish on the path, take it home with you.