A New Zealand gannet called Nigel has died alone after falling in love with a fake bird designed to help him attract a real-life mate.
In 2013, Nigel became the first gannet in 40 years to make his home on Mana Island, an uninhabited outpost two miles off the coast of New Zealand’s North Island.
Around 80 concrete gannets had been planted over the 1.9-mile-long island, along with a sound system imitating the seabirds’ calls, in an attempt to start a colony on the island, which is a protected wildlife reserve.
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Conservationists hoped to attract a partner for Nigel – short for “Nigel no friends”, the Kiwi version of “Billy no mates”.
Nigel eventually attracted another male gannet, promptly christened Norman, but their friendship was strictly platonic. Four years ago, conservationists spotted Nigel courting one of the concrete models. Since then, he had stayed by the decoy’s side and even built her a nest of mud and sticks, The Guardian reports. His lifeless body was discovered beside his immobile lady-love last week.
For some people, Nigel’s tragic love life was a little too close to home:
Ranger Chris Bell told Stuff.co.nz that Nigel’s death was “incredibly sad”, particularly because three real gannets had finally joined the colony just weeks ago – although Nigel had shunned the newcomers in favour of his beloved decoy.
“This just feels like the wrong ending to the story,” he said. “He died right at the beginning of something great.”
Bell is hopeful that the three remaining seabirds could be the start of the long hoped-for gannet colony, a fitting legacy for its original coloniser.
“It’s because of Nigel that the other gannets know about Mana,” he said. “Maybe in six months’ time there will be a happy story to tell.”
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