The independent report, which has shed light on the dilapidated state of the aviaries and conditions for the birds on show at the Oamaru Public Gardens, followed a site visit in December last year which included observations and discussions with staff.
The document was recently made public by the Waitaki District Council as part of a media release seeking to re-home the birds, following plans to demolish the structures due to them being not fit for purpose.
ZooWorks consultant Lorne Roberts, who carried out the ‘‘snapshot’’ review, thanked staff for being ‘‘honest and transparent’’ in providing answers and wrote that it was not her intention ‘‘to suggest that bird care staff are not performing duties to a standard expected of them by their employer, and ultimately council, nor any inappropriate level of efficiency’’.
‘‘The staff currently responsible for the birds’ care and welfare do not possess any professional animal care qualifications and the staff member interviewed stated that his knowledge was based only on what had been shown to him when he started in the position,’’ she noted.
No further training or professional development was provided but some support was offered from veterinarian staff when on site, she wrote, adding that there was a ‘‘very rudimentary understanding of bird care’’.
There was no species-specific husbandry manual, no ‘‘clear, well-described’’ diet formulations being used or daily records.
The reviewer said despite seeming ‘‘in good order’’ from a distance, there were ‘‘several concerns’’ regarding the first aviary, including signs of degradation in the wood framing, some areas being ‘‘completely disintegrated’’, while panelling was in poor condition and nest boxes were in disrepair.
The second aviary seemed to be ‘‘in moderate condition at a cursory glance’’ but on closer inspection there was ‘‘serious damage to critical structures’’, including a broken support beam.
And ‘‘of serious concern’’, the review said, was the storage and food preparation area to the rear of the aviaries.
‘‘The room is built as part of the aviary and thus is of a similar design and structure to the rest of the bird areas,’’ the report said.
‘‘As such, the storeroom is not pest proof.
‘‘Although there was a dedicated area for the storage of dry food, the bags were stored on the ground.
‘‘This may have a significant impact on the accessibility of the stored food by terrestrial pests (mostly rodents).
‘‘This was supported by the considerable quantity of rodent faeces on the ground of the storage area and the service area.’’
The majority of the birds were in ‘‘good physical condition’’ and no serious injuries or diseases were observed, according to the review, but one cockatiel had lost its head-crest feathers while one of the hens was missing a ‘‘substantial’’ number of feathers.
Jimmy, the sulphur-crested cockatoo, was observed exhibiting potential stereotypic behaviour: repetitive, predictable and persistent behaviours that appeared to have no obvious goal or function and which may be an indicator of poor welfare. These behaviours were rarely observed in the wild.
The report made 12 primary recommendations and three secondary recommendations, including that the aviaries either be demolished and replaced or redesigned, an increased staff presence to care for the birds, hiring dedicated staff with appropriate knowledge and that professional husbandry practices should be implemented.
