The northern end of Snells Beach will be off limits to dogs from now until March 2021 in order to allow endangered shorebirds to breed.

During this time, dogs will be prohibited from all beach areas north of the Sunburst Avenue boat ramp, and they must be on leash at all times along Snells Beach Esplanade Reserve, north of the boat ramp.

The rules for all areas south of the Sunburst Avenue boat ramp have not been changed.

Council’s Natural Environment Team Manager Andrew Nelson says the area is an important habitat for many native shorebird species. These include the New Zealand dotterel, variable oystercatchers, and bar tailed godwits.

Dotterels are sensitive birds, and with only 1,700 of them left in New Zealand, they are classified as a threatened / vulnerable species. To get the population back up, successful breeding and hatching of eggs is imperative, but this is difficult when nesting birds are constantly under threat from people, dogs and other predators.

Ordinarily, dogs are prohibited on public beaches from the 1st of December to the 1st of March between 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. but given the circumstances, these rules have been amended in Snells Beach.