Research Reveals New Zealand’s Seabirds Adapt to Human Waste
(MENAFN) New research reveals how the Southern black-backed gull, or karoro, one of New Zealand's most iconic seabirds, has drastically changed its diet and behavior due to human-induced environmental shifts.
Once dominant marine predators along the coast, karoro have transformed into urban survivors, increasingly relying on city waste as traditional coastal food sources diminish, according to a statement from the Auckland War Memorial Museum on Thursday.
The study, a joint effort between Auckland Museum and Unitec Institute of Technology, highlights a notable dietary shift in these native gulls, from eating fish and sea mammals to scavenging on fast food leftovers and roadkill.
Researchers examined the gulls' diet over more than a century by analyzing feathers from museum specimens dating back to 1914, food pellets from breeding colonies, and ancient fossilized bones. The results were recently published in the New Zealand Journal of Ecology.
"Karoro are truly opportunistic eaters. Historically, they were coastal marine predators and scavengers, feeding on fish, marine invertebrates, and even the remains of sea mammals like sea lions," said Matt Rayner, senior researcher at Auckland Museum.
"Today, they're just as likely to chow down on a discarded KFC drumstick or a roadkill mouse as they are to hunt for fish," Rayner said, noting their remarkable adaptability. However, he also expressed concern, stating that their modern diet is a reflection of the declining health of the Hauraki Gulf, caused by pollution, overfishing, and coastal development.
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