The Otago Regional Council thinks there are only about 60 rooks left in Otago.
Rooks are regarded as pests because they can cause damage to crops and new grass. Photo: SUPPLIED
The council is asking people to keep an eye out for these large members of the crow family so it can track down the remaining populations and get rid of them.
Rooks were introduced to the country by early settlers to control insects, but they are now regarded as pests in Otago and elsewhere, because they can cause a lot of damage to crops and new grass.
The council estimates that at their peak there were several thousand rooks in the region, but their numbers have been drastically reduced through control programmes.
