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A much-loved border collie cross who helped ensure the survival of the kea, the world’s only mountain parrot, has died.
Ajax, named after the hero in Greek mythology, was a working dog from Nelson, who traversed the South Island’s rough terrain with DOC field ranger Corey Mosen, saving one of New Zealand’s most endangered native birds, the kea.
Despite being one of the world’s most resourceful and intelligent birds, kea are under threat from predation), with as few as 2000 left in the wild.
Corey and Ajax would locate kea nests in the steep alpine forest and spread awareness of the bird.
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Ajax was also New Zealand’s only registered kea dog, and it was his job to sniff out kea nests, so Corey could place cameras around them to monitor the birds and dangerous predators threatening the population.
He was 11.
