Six days until Christmas and Dunedin’s central city had one gull stuck in a pipe.
The dramatic rescue unfolded in the lower portion of the Octagon, prompting the closure of an area more known for its wildlife after dark than during the day.
But on Tuesday afternoon, Fire and Emergency New Zealand received a call about a chick stuck in the drain above Prohibition Smokehouse.
Senior Station Officer Mark Leonard said the callout came after a young gull fell from its nest on the same building and into a rainhead, a container located between the gutter and downpipe.
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Firefighter Liam McCall reaches for the young gull stuck in a rainhead.
Initially, a fire appliance with a ladder was sent to the scene, but a decision was made to use the Bronto aerial appliance, which also doubled as a useful training for staff.
The firefighter, Liam McCall, was able to reach into the rainhead and extract the young gull, much to the delight of those watching in the Octagon.
“It was a nice easy job,” Leonard said.
HAMISH MCNEILLY/Stuff
And he was successful, holding the young chick before delivering it to its nest.
Fenz attended many animal rescues and “it is great to get the big machine and put it up”, Leonard said of the successful rescue.
The young gull was returned to its nest, as some other watchful gulls flew above the head of McCall.
The lower Octagon reopened shortly after the rescue.
The bird could not be contacted for comment.
