More about dragon trees and their wild seedlings
Following on from our recent post about finding dragon tree seedlings in Glenfield forest reserves, here are some fascinating photos and information about their history in Auckland on the Auckland Museum website:
www.aucklandmuseum.com...
We have not noticed - or perhaps not recognised - an adult dragon tree in the Kaipatiki area, and wonder where the birds are getting these seeds?
Does anyone know of a mature Dracaena draco (dragon tree) in the Glenfield/Birkdale area?
Of course, the parent tree does not need to be close by, as kereru can fly up to 20km and back to feed. From our own observation, kereru droppings usually contain the undigested portion - eg seeds - from a very recent meal. But maybe dragon tree seeds take a while to be excreted.
Regardless of whether these seeds are being brought from the trees we know of in Devonport or East Coast Bays or from suburbs closer to Eskdale Forest, we would be interested to hear if there are any dragon trees growing in this neighbourhood...and if so, whether many seedlings are being found in the gardens around them.
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Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️