The partnership has been very successful. Since 2011, the number of breeding whio pairs has nearly doubled. This shows the positive impact of the recovery mahi (work) led by DOC, volunteers, and community groups.

Awareness of the plight of whio and its importance to our native ecosystem has grown significantly through active advocacy campaigns including Whio Awareness week in March.

Partners

The success of the Whio Forever programme comes down to the collective partnership approach taken by DOC and Genesis. By working together, focusing on common aspirations, and sharing resources, knowledge and expertise, the partnership has created a solid foundation from which to grow whio numbers in the wild.

The work of the Whio Forever Programme contributes to the wider DOC Whio Recovery Programme, which aims to protect and rebuild whio populations across the country. Alongside Genesis (through the work of Whio Forever), the Whio Recovery Programme is supported generously across the country by countless volunteers, community groups, iwi,  schools and wildlife organisations. These groups help by trapping predators and running breeding programmes to release more whio into the wild.

The Whio Forever Committee is made up of representatives from Genesis and DOC who manage the funding provided by Genesis. Staff from both organisations support technical work and run communications and awareness campaigns.