Giant koi found on Hawke's Bay farm
The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has used DNA to confirm the presence of giant goldfish in a farm pond in Hawke's Bay.
A tip off from a farm manager, followed by a eDNA sample has resulted in a process to remove two fish that had been in the pond for some time.
Regional Council freshwater ecologist Daniel Fake says koi carp have wreaked havoc in the Waikato, Auckland and Northland where they have proliferated, and the council doesn’t want that to happen in Hawke’s Bay.
“In this instance we’re lucky that they haven’t bred in the pond, or escaped into a larger waterway, and we’re very grateful that a member of the public has alerted us to their presence,” he said.
Wellington based company Wilderlab provides the eDNA testing service, and the Regional Council are working closely with them to optimise the application of this new technology for council needs, and range of biodiversity and biosecurity purposes.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.