Sam Manson

Sam Manson was banded as a juvenile in Arthur's Pass during the Coast to Coast weekend February 2023. Coast to Coast is a multisport event that involves running, biking and kayaking 243km from Kumara beach, on the West Coast, through to New Brighton Pier on the East Coast. Sam Manson (the human, not the bird) took out the 1st place men's title in the Longest Day event at Coast to Coast 2023. Just like Sam, kea are capable of traveling huge distances in a day, with some birds recording flights of over 200km (refer to Wānanga)!! Sadly Sam Manson was the victim of road trauma in early September 2023. It is hoped that in another 12 months less young birds will be hanging around in the village and that this will stop happening. With so much work going in to save these birds, it is a very sad indeed to lose a bird to the road.