Initial investigations into claims of hundreds of dead birds around the Lake Te Anau shoreline have so far turned up nothing out of the ordinary.
Environment Southland earlier today said "hundreds" of dead ducks and geese had been reported along the shore of the lake in the Te Anau area.
They warned people and their pet to avoid the area, and that the cause was "unclear".
However, Department of Conservation operations manager Te Anau John Lucas said they had started an investigation and so far had seen no sight of the "mass mortality".
"If people come across a large number of dead birds in the wild please contact [the Ministry of Primary Industries]."
In 2024 about 100 dead birds, including 85 paradise ducks, were found on the shore of Lake Wānaka at Dublin Bay.
Members of the public also removed a dead black swan, nine Canada geese, three paradise shelduck and a mallard.
The swan, a Canada goose and some of the paradise shelducks were handed to a veterinarian contracted to MPI for post-mortems and toxicology tests.
Fish & Game staff inspecting the site saw no signs of physical injury causing the birds’ deaths.
- Allied Media
