Charlie
Mitchell18:00, Jul 06 2019
A new
population of our rarest kiwi was discovered after a conservation ranger heard
a kiwi call in a recording from the area.
A new
population of our most endangered kiwi has been found on a remote plateau in
South Westland, a welcome surprise to authorities who say it is a vital boost
for their conservation efforts.
A group
of Haast tokoeka – the most endangered kiwi subspecies, with an estimated wild
population of fewer than 500 – has been found in an isolated part of South
Westland.
The exact
number of birds in the group is unknown, but it is thought to contain at least
16 individuals. They were found by Department of Conservation (DOC) rangers in
early April, after one ranger had heard what sounded like a kiwi on a years-old
recording taken from the area.
The new
birds increase the existing Haast tokoeka population by up to five per cent,
and add much-needed genetic diversity to the existing population.
The find
was unexpected, as wild Haast tokoeka are only known to inhabit a steep,
mountainous area along the Haast ranges some 20 or 30 kilometres east.
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