A curious weka, now nicknamed Ranger, surprised a Christchurch couple after secretly hitching a 300-kilometre ride from the West Coast. The bird had climbed into their ute at Berlins campsite near Inangahua during Easter weekend and went unnoticed until the couple returned home.
Kim Ranger and her partner Ian believe the bird sneaked in while they were packing up, hiding among dog blankets in the back of their vehicle. Ian drove all the way home without seeing or hearing the feathered stowaway.
When Kim opened the ute’s door in Christchurch, she was shocked to find the weka calmly sitting in the footwell. “I couldn’t stop laughing,” she said, before realizing she had no idea what to do with a wild weka in the city.
She called the after-hours vet, SPCA, and the Department of Conservation (DOC), who all advised her to leave the bird in the vehicle overnight. Though the weka seemed calm, it did set off the car alarm at 7 a.m. and made quite a mess.
The DOC brought Ranger to the South Island Wildlife Hospital for a check-up, where he was treated for dehydration. Later, he was safely returned to the West Coast in a carrier cage by bus.
DOC biodiversity supervisor Craig Alexander said it’s important for campers to check their cars and gear for hidden wildlife. In a similar case, two wētā were also accidentally transported to Christchurch inside a wetsuit and had to be returned.
“There are no wild weka in Christchurch, and moving animals—even native ones—can harm local ecosystems,” said Alexander.
People who find unexpected animal passengers are urged to call DOC at 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) for help.
