A native hawk was shot from the sky with an air rifle and rescued from a rocky outcrop in the ocean by three Waiheke women last week.
Michelle Bartlett and a friend were swimming at Whakanewha on Thursday 20 February when they saw a swamp harrier hawk hopping on some rocks nearby with one of its wings hanging awkwardly. Michelle called Native Bird Rescue’s Karen Saunders, and on arrival the three waded out to where the bird was stranded.
“We cut off the bird’s escape routes, and I was able to net her,” Karen told Gulf News.
“She was injured and weak, and I believe she was stranded on the rocks unable to fly and without food or water for around three days.”
Karen says the hawk’s wing was hanging limply at its side and she knew she had to get it back to Native Bird Rescue for a full examination. • Sophie Boladeras
Full story in this week’s Gulf News… Out Now!!!
