Pukaha Mount Bruce takahe will be missed
Date: 17 January 2008
Georgie, the takahe female which has delighted visitors to the Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife centre for the past two decades, has died.
Part of the original takahe breeding stock at Pukaha, 21-year-old Georgie had been unwell for several days and was being tenderly cared for by DOC staff at Pukaha. She passed away on Tuesday evening.
"We are all very sad that we have lost Georgie. She was a much loved member of the Pukaha family and will be sadly missed," DOC Wairarapa area manager Chris Lester said.
Georgie, the late Pukaha Mount Bruce
takahe
Takahe are an endangered bird species found only in New Zealand. Until they were dramatically rediscovered in 1948 in Fiordland's Murchison Mountains, they were widely considered to be extinct. At the last census there were 295 birds spread between the Murchison Mountains, Burwood Bush Takahe Rearing Unit, five island sanctuaries, the TeAnau Wildlife Centre and Pukaha Mount Bruce.
After their discovery the New Zealand Wildlife Service trialled captive breeding in an effort to safeguard the Takahe from extinction. This led, in 1958, to the establishment of the National Wildlife Centre at Mount Bruce where Wairarapa farmer and ornithologist Elwyn Welch took four takahe chicks to his farm and raised them using bantam hens. In 1962 the National Wildlife Service took over Elwyn's work and establishing a native bird management reserve in the Mount Bruce forest.
Breeding takahe in captivity proved problematic but, through trial and error, the necessary knowledge and skills were ultimately developed to enable a successful breeding programme by 1970. These captive husbandry techniques developed and pioneered at Mount Bruce were later utilised to set up the specialist takahe breeding unit at Burwood Bush near Te Anau.
Georgie was hatched in captivity at the National Wildlife Centre on 28 April 1986. Although she did not breed, she helped raise public awareness of takahe. Pukaha Mount Bruce plays an important advocacy role for takahe conservation and visitors to the centre can view takahe in their enclosure from the takahe café balcony.
Georgie made many friends from visitors to the centre over a 20 year period. She will be sorely missed by her mate Bud, DOC staff, locals and visitors alike. Staff at Pukaha are currently trying to locate a bird to replace Georgie, to keep her Bud company and continue Georgie's advocacy work. ENDS