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What consideration, modelling, or other work, if any, was done on the likely mortality and population consequences of H5N1 for little penguins/kororā?

Answered Question 39056 (2026)
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Asked by

Tākuta Ferris

Member for Te Tai Tonga · Independent

Question

  • What consideration, modelling, or other work, if any, was done on the likely mortality and population consequences of H5N1 for little penguins/kororā?

Answered by

Hon Tama Potaka

Member for Hamilton West · National Party · Minister of Conservation

Answer

I am advised that the Department of Conservation has not assessed the impact of H5 bird flu on kororā / little blue penguins. Kororā are not classified as threatened, so while H5 bird flu may cause losses, the national population is considered large enough to withstand this.