Far North conservationists are pleading with dog owners to tighten the leash after at least six kiwi were found mauled in the past fortnight.
The dead birds were found in Opua Forest near Paihia within a roughly 500m radius and had injuries consistent with being gripped in a dog's jaws.
The Conservation Department says there's been 10 suspected kiwi deaths from dogs in the last three months.
Catherine Langford is a trustee with conservation group Bay Bush Action who have been working for more than a decade to bring back native wildlife in the area.
Langford spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
