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Coast conservation and dog-owner groups have joined forces to develop a community-led plan to protect Northern New Zealand dotterels (tūturiwhatu) on Big Manly Beach and Tindalls Beach, offering an alternative to Auckland Council’s proposed dog rule changes.
Hibiscus Coast Forest & Bird, Big Manly & Tindalls Dotterel Minders, and Dog Friends Rodney workshopped a solution that balances bird conservation with responsible beach access for dog owners. Their proposal, which they are urging the community to support, would use seasonal protections around active dotterel nests instead of blanket restrictions on beach access for dogs.
Considered an at-risk species, the dotterels have struggled since they began nesting in the area in 2020. Despite volunteer efforts, only three chicks have survived from 11 eggs. The biggest threats to the birds include habitat loss, severe weather, predation by dogs, cats, and rats, and disturbances from beachgoers. Last November, a female dotterel with crush injuries was found on Big Manly Beach and had to be euthanised (Hibiscus Matters, December 2024).
Jenny Hanwell, project manager for Pest Free Hibiscus Coast, said nesting dotterels were highly vulnerable to disturbance and predation.
“Something like a dog approaching can cause them to be flushed off the nest. They do this scooting movement, trying to detract attention from nest, and that leaves the eggs exposed and vulnerable to black-billed gulls and overheating.”
In response to ongoing concerns, Council included new dog restrictions for the beaches in its 2025 review of the Dog Management Bylaw.
Currently, Big Manly Beach has a time-and-season rule that prohibits dogs from 10am to 5pm during summer, but allows off-leash access at all other times. Council’s proposed changes include:
• On Big Manly Beach, dogs would have to remain on-leash at all times, from Cross Street to the eastern headland connecting to Tindalls Beach.
• On Tindalls Beach, dogs would need to stay on-leash from the headland connecting to Big Manly to Hardley Avenue.
However, Dog Friends Rodney argues that these restrictions do not fully address the issue and create unnecessary limitations for responsible dog owners.
Rather than implementing blanket on-leash requirements, Hibiscus Coast Forest and Bird, Big Manly & Tindalls Dotterel Minders, and Dog Friends Rodney have proposed a more targeted approach. Their plan keeps the current time-and-season rule but introduces additional protections where dotterel nests are identified.
Dogs would need to be on a leash within 200 meters of a marked dotterel nest.
A 50-metre exclusion zone around the nest would be cordoned off during the nesting season (September to January).
They say this approach ensures that nesting birds receive adequate protection while allowing responsible dog owners to continue enjoying the beach.
One issue all groups agree on is the need for stronger enforcement of current dog bylaws.
At the Hibiscus and Bays local board meeting, in December, Big Manly & Tindalls Dotterel Minders told the board that it was beach users with uncontrolled dogs who were directly threatening the birds. They suggested the board consider a seasonal dog ranger for the three months of summer, similar to one at Te Henga Bethell’s Beach.
The groups are calling on residents to support their alternative plan by submitting feedback to the Dog Management Bylaw consultation, which is open until Sunday, February 23.
Supporters can find information of the joint submission on Dog Friends Rodney and Pest Free Hibiscus Coast Facebook pages.
