Reports of a quad bike being raced on a Coromandel beach have raised alarm bells with the Department of Conservation (DoC).

A local resident, who spoke to the Hauraki-Coromandel Post under the condition of anonymity, said he witnessed a quad bike rider doing donuts in the vicinity of nesting birds on June 1.

The resident captured images of the incident at the south end of Whangamatā Beach and shared them with the Hauraki Coromandel Post who then made inquiries with DoC.

DoC has since spoken to the resident saying the alleged behaviour was “a real concern” for the department.

DoC Hauraki operations manager Avi Holzapfel said the behaviour potentially undermined the hard work of local people and DoC staff who committed time and energy to protecting small vulnerable birds and their nesting sites.

“Dunes are fragile eco-systems and are not appropriate places [for the] use of motor vehicles, so we take a dim view of people using motorbikes or similar on them.”

The resident said he was walking up the beach to photograph dotterels when he witnessed the incident.

“I thought his behaviour was outrageous … there were a lot of people and dogs walking on the beach at the time.

“He continued doing a series of donuts, throwing sand into the air and when I got level with him, I yelled at him … he said something cheeky, then kept right on doing donuts.”

The resident said he was then confronted by another man.

“He then claimed that under some kind of bylaw, south of Mount Maunganui, people were entitled to ride wherever they wanted on a quad bike.”

The Tauranga City Council website says all-terrain vehicles that display a council permit may be driven on the beach for recreational fishing purposes only and only be driven east of the Pāpāmoa access point towards/from the Kaituna River.

ATVs do not have priority on the beach – they must be driven in a careful manner with consideration to all beach users. They must not be driven on the dunes. The speed limit is 20km/h.

A Thames-Coromandel District Council spokesman said the council actively discouraged, and in some areas prohibited, vehicles from beaches and reserves.

“As a general rule, beaches should only be accessed in a vehicle to launch or retrieve a watercraft and only at designated locations; please use common sense, vehicles and busy beaches don’t mix.”

Holzapfel said the Whangamatā shoreline was a known habitat for New Zealand northern dotterels.

“The birds make nests just above high tide mark, in open sites typically low-lying sand, gravel banks or sandbars close to beaches and lagoons.

“Dotterels and other bird species nesting on the beach face threats from predators, off-lead dogs and habitat loss and disturbance.”

DoC continually urged the public to give the birds plenty of space and worked with volunteers around the Coromandel Peninsula to protect the birds and their nesting sites.

“It is a breach of the Wildlife Act to disturb wildlife and/or nesting sites; if members of the public see what they believe to be behaviour which breaches s63 of the Wildlife Act we urge them to report it via 0800 DOC HOT.

“Valuable information includes an explanation of what they saw, and when and where they saw it, as well as details such as motor vehicle registrations and the description of anyone involved.

“Photos and videos of the behaviour or harmed/disturbed wildlife can also prove to be vital evidence for DoC to pursue investigations.”