Threats to mistletoe in Wellington
Yellow mistletoe, thought to be
extinct in Wellington until its 2006
rediscovery in eastern Wairarapa
New Zealand mistletoe species are not common, and many are in decline.
The decline has been most drastic since the early 1900s, mainly due to possum browse, loss of habitat through vegetation clearance, and decline in the range and abundance of native bird species that pollinate mistletoes and disperse their seed.
If this decline continues, more local populations may disappear and, in the long term, species could go extinct nationwide.