A crucial new wild kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet population is being established on Anchor Island in Fiordland following the release of 34 of the critically endangered birds there.
They were released on the predator-free island in Fiordland’s Tamatea/Dusky Sound last Friday, after two days in acclimatisation aviaries on the island, the Department of Conservation said in a statement.
The birds were bred and raised at The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust and Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch before being flown to Invercargill, where they were met by representatives from Ōraka-Aparima Rūnaka on behalf of Kaitiaki Rōpū Ki Murihiku.
Doc kākāriki karaka operations manager Wayne Beggs said setting up a secure new wild site was a huge step forward for the recovery of the species.
"Kākāriki karaka are extremely vulnerable to introduced predators, so finding safe places for them to live and breed in the wild is vitally important for the species’ survival.
"The predator-free beech and rimu forest on Anchor Island should be a great site for kākāriki karaka to flourish."
Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust chief executive Rob Kinney said the last six months of intensive husbandry by trust staff was a testament to their dedication and expertise in caring for this critically endangered bird species.
The goal of the recently released kākāriki karaka recovery strategy, is that the birds will be thriving independently in the wild, with 10 self-sustaining populations in the Ngāi Tahu takiwā in the next 20 years.
The recovery programme thanked tourism operator RealNZ and specialist insole company Formthotics for their significant donations which made the move and follow-up monitoring possible.
Mr Beggs said a lot of planning, effort, and cost went into a move like this, and its success relied on a range of people and groups working together.
"We plan to do more translocations in the future. The NZ Nature Fund is raising money for this work and the public can contribute through their website."
With about 450 left in the wild, kākāriki karaka are the rarest mainland forest bird in New Zealand. The population naturally fluctuates based on environmental conditions.
The birds were once plentiful across the country, but proved an easy meal for introduced predators and were affected by habitat loss, which saw their numbers dwindle.
Because they nest and roost in holes in trees, kākāriki karaka are extremely vulnerable to rats, stoats and cats.
The species was twice declared extinct in the past, in both 1919 and in 1965, before being rediscovered in the late 1980s.
Anchor Island is already home to a range of New Zealand’s threatened bird species, including kākāpō. — APL
