The story of a conservation icon
After being presumed extinct for nearly 50 years, the takahē was famously rediscovered in 1948 by Geoffrey Orbell, a physician from Invercargill.
For more than 70 years, measures to ensure takahē are never again considered extinct have included pioneering conservation techniques, captive breeding, island translocations and wild releases.
Today takahē are classified as Nationally Vulnerable. While there is a way to go, this impressive feat was managed by the collaboration between the Takahē Recovery Programme, Ngāi Tahu, Fulton-Hogan and support from Mitre10, the NZ National Parks and Conservation Foundation and a diverse network of people around the country.
This team is working hard to grow the current number of takahē and return birds to the wild by establishing self-sustaining populations within native grasslands of the South Island. Over the past five years, the takahē population has grown in excess of 10% and is forecast to continue.
Find out more about takahē recovery:
Partners
Ka tū te moho
Kia ora ake anō
The takahē stands, in order to live again
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