According to an all-campus e-mail sent at 3:42 p.m., a rare, preserved kiwi bird has disappeared from its perch in Olmsted Hall. According to Associate Director of Security Kim Squillace in a separate e-mailed statement, the kiwi was reported missing from its usual place in the north end of the building on Sept. 29.
Though the bird is presumably valuable for its historic qualities, the e-mail, which was drafted by the Campus Security Office and sent by Dean of the College Chris Roellke, also emphasizes that the bird presents a danger because of the chemicals with which it was preserved.
According to the message, “The bird has been treated with arsenic and should only be handled by trained personnel equipped with proper personal protective equipment.”
Students report that the bird was seen at the Town Houses over the weekend. “This is not so much a theft issue as a safety issue at this point,” wrote Squillace. “No questions asked we just want to safely recover it.”
Kiwi birds are flightless, nocturnal, burrowing and native to New Zealand. Kiwis mate for life, and, out of all birds, they lay the largest eggs in relation to the size of their bodies. There are several species of kiwi birds in New Zealand. Most face threats from non-native predators, such as dogs, and habitation loss, leaving most kiwi species classified as either vulnerable or endangered.
The all-campus e-mail urged any member of the community to contact Campus Security at (845) 437-5221 with information regarding its whereabouts.
To student(s) who returned the Kiwi Bird,
Thank you very much for returning the bird as a historical piece and a safety hazard. If anyone has come in contact with the bird and you do not feel well, please go to health services.
Sincerely,
Kim