Rare takahē to be released on Rotoroa

Rare takahē to be released on Rotoroa

Two of New Zealand’s critically endangered takahē will be released onto Rotoroa Island this Saturday 23 May – a free event open to the public.

Seventeen-month-old takahē Teichelman (male) and Silberhorn (female) are the first of up to five breeding pairs bound for the Hauraki Gulf isle where Auckland Zoo and the Rotoroa Island Trust (RIT) have partnered to create a unique wildlife reserve.

The two birds hatched at the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) Burwood Bush Takahē Rearing Unit near Te Anau as part of its successful Mitre 10-supported Takahē Recovery Programme, and are expected to breed within the next two years.

Auckland Zoo has been working in partnership with the international Conservation Breeding Specialist Group* (CBSG) and DOC to help develop the population management plan for takahē, which has been partially funded through the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund.

“There are currently just 270 takahē in the world. While we know there’s no single New Zealand site large enough to recover this iconic species on its own, collectively, lots of smaller sites, including islands like Rotoroa, can work together to ensure their future,” says Auckland Zoo director, Jonathan Wilcken.

Rotoroa Island Trust (RIT) chair Barrie Brown says Rotoroa is delighted to be welcoming and assisting takahē.

“It’s wonderful that Rotoroa can provide a haven for these takahē to grow, breed and produce chicks to then help populate other selected safe North Island sites. Takahē will be the sixth wildlife species we’ve introduced to the island in the past twelve months,” says Mr Brown.

“Many of these species are being sustained through intensive conservation management. This is something the Rotoroa-Zoo partnership is demonstrating to a new generation of young New Zealanders through our dynamic schools programme. The addition of takahē provides us with more great opportunities to engage these future conservationists.”

The takahē are being released onto Rotoroa with the blessing of their kaitiaki (guardians) Ngai Tahu, and will be received by representatives of Ngai Tai ki Tamaki on behalf of the iwi of Rotoroa. The pair are being fitted with transmitters and will be monitored closely by Zoo and Rotoroa Island staff.

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