A large, flightless bird that was previously thought to be extinct has been reintroduced into the wild in New Zealand. The Takahē had not been seen for nearly a century before 18 were released into the Lake Whakatipu Waimāori Valley.
A Prehistoric Bird
Unique to New Zealand, the Takahē dates back to the prehistoric Pleistocene era and evolved without other land animals surrounding them. They are a bright blue-green color, with red beaks and legs and an almost perfectly round (from a front view) body. They stand roughly 50 centimeters tall and have been described as “prehistoric-looking.”
A Surprising Rediscovery
Takahē birds are native to the alpine slopes of the South Island but had not been seen for a century before Geoffrey Orbell, a physician from Invercargill, and his party discovered the last remaining population in the wild in 1948. The rediscovery inspired New Zealand’s longest-running endangered species programme. Since then, their population has been growing steadily.
Why the Takahē Was Declared Extinct
The Takahē are among the rarest in the world and were declared extinct in 1898 when their numbers plummeted after European settlers introduced cats, ferrets, and rats into their habitat. Hunting, habitat destruction, and competition for food have also been cited as reasons for their extinction status.
Efforts Toward Preservation
To preserve the species, New Zealand’s Department of Conservation collected and artificially incubated eggs to protect them from predators. Once hatched, the new birds were carefully fed and nurtured by workers wearing sock puppets that resemble the birds’ red beaks. Should the Takahē adapt well to their new environment, more birds are said to be released by early 2025.
Reintroduction into the Wild
The DOC slowly freed Takahē into 18 pre-selected island sanctuaries and national parks. Their focus is on building new populations, but this will take time and enormous dedication. After a long legal battle, the DOC succeeded in collaborating with the Ngāi Tahu tribe to create a new Takahē population on tribal land.
The Likely Challenges
A major obstacle to the Takahē’s reintroduction is their natural predators. Therefore, the DOC set traps and removed pests from the birds’ environment. “Trapping of stoats, ferrets, and feral cats has knocked down predator numbers,” stated Deidre Vercoe, the recovery operations manager for the DOC. “Sustaining this low predator count remains absolutely vital.”
Monitoring the Takahē
To track the success of growing populations, New Zealand’s DOC “Takahē Recovery Programme” monitors the birds using smart transmitters. These transmitters show the bird’s location and indicate whether it is alive, dead, or has lost its transmitter. A Sky Ranger then picks up the signal from the transmitter to collect data from the Takahē population in the Murchison Mountains by helicopter.
The Current Takahē Population
To date, there are roughly 500 Takahē birds in New Zealand. To help increase the population, mating pairs are being introduced into predatory-free bird sanctuaries. Seven Takahē were released in October 2024, and another 10 are expected to be freed in early 2025. The population is currently growing at roughly 8% annually.
The Ecological Impact of the Takahē’s Return
Takahē live for between 16 and 18 years in the wild and mainly feed on the leafy bases of tussock and sedge species. In snowy weather, the birds will migrate to forestlands and eat rhizomes found on green ferns. Their return to the wild is likely to affect tussock growth in places where new Takahē populations are thriving, as Deer are also known to eat it.
Cultural Significance of the Takahē
The Takahē are an important part of indigenous culture. The Ngāi Tahu tribe would gather the birds’ feathers and skillfully weave them into cloaks. The loss of the species coincided with the loss of tribal land through confiscation, sales, and theft. Tūmai Cassidy, a Ngāi Tahu tribesperson, said their return is “incredibly significant.”
A Wider Effort
New Zealand’s endangered species programme pioneered techniques in captive breeding, island translocations and wild releases. The programme is part of a larger campaign to eliminate the country’s most invasive predators, including rats, possums, and stoats, by the year 2050. As this initiative gains momentum, more rare species, such as the kiwi birds, can be reintroduced into unprotected areas.
A New Beginning
Since it’s rediscovery in 1948, the Takahē has made a slow but impactful return. By monitoring, protecting and preserving this native bird, the Māori people can begin to feel more connected to their ancestors and scientists can study a species once thought to have been extinct.
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