10 Sep,
2017 5:32pm
By: Andrea
Jutson
Kiwi may
be earthbound, small and funny-looking, but recent arguments that they should
move over on their pedestal for New Zealand's "more elegant" seabirds
have been pecked to pieces.
Northern
New Zealand Seabird Trust co-founder Chris Gaskin raised eyebrows by suggesting
seabirds such as the Buller's shearwater (rako) were a better fit as a national
symbol.
In front
of an audience of seabird enthusiasts in Wellington yesterday, he argued that
as great travellers, Kiwis - the people - were better represented by a
long-distance flier like the shearwater or black petrel than a stubby-winged
bird.
"These
birds travel huge distances," Gaskin said.
"But
seabirds have gone under the radar, and that's a real concern for us."
While he
said his suggestion to that a shearwater or petrel should replace the kiwi was
light-hearted, he really liked the New Zealand Navy's idea.
"Our
Orions that go on fishing and search and rescue patrols actually have two
symbols - the kiwi, and on the tail of the plane, a seabird that looks like a
petrel."
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