Wednesday, 30 June 2021, 10:26 am Research on kea in the eastern South Island is revealing new insights into the impact of stoats and feral cats on this endangered endemic parrot. Kea, a taonga species for Ngāi Tahu, are found throughout South Island mountains and forests and are in decline where threats from predators are not managed. A Department of Conservation (DOC) five-year study aims to shed light on why kea populations are declining faster on the eastern side of the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana than on the west, to improve predator management. Researchers have monitored a sample of 45 kea between Arthur’s Pass and Lewis Pass east