A protected and threatened New Zealand falcon was found dying after being shot in Gisborne. Karearea are fully protected birds, and people can face fines of up to $100,000 or two years imprisonment for harming one. "It’s despicable that someone would deliberately shoot such a spectacular and rare bird," DOC East Coast operations manager John Lucas said. Karearea are endemic to New Zealand and can fly at speeds up to 100 kilometres per hour. The bird’s body would be returned to Gisborne where the feathers would be made available for cultural purposes, the department said.

Source: Stuff June 19, 2020 09:00 UTC