[citation needed], The rediscovery of the takahē caused great public interest. [19] The takahē can often be seen plucking a snow grass (Danthonia flavescens) stalk, taking it into one claw, and eating only the soft lower parts, which appears to be its favourite food, while the rest is discarded. Reasons for the pre-European decline of takahē were postulated by Williams (1962) and later supported in a detailed report by Mills et al. [14], The takahē is the largest living member of the family Rallidae. (1996). We employ local journalists and photographers to tell your stories, as other outlets cut local coverage in favour of stories told out of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Current research aims to measure the impact of attacks by stoats and thus decide whether stoats are a significant problem requiring management. At first, the Forest and Bird Society advocated for takahē to be left to work out their own "destiny",[citation needed] but many worried that the takahē would be incapable of making a comeback and thus become extinct like New Zealand's native huia. At October 2017 there were 347 takahē accounted for, an increase of 41 over 2016. [citation needed], Biologists from the Department of Conservation drew on their experience with designing remote island sanctuaries to establish a safe habitat for takahē and translocate birds onto Maud Island (Malborough Sounds), Mana Island (near Wellington), Kapiti Island (Kapiti Coast), and Tiritiri Matangi Island (Hauraki Gulf). [11], Over the second half of the 20th century, the two Notornis species were gradually relegated to subspecies: Notornis mantelli mantelli in the North Island, and Notornis mantelli hochstetteri in the South. [6] Another takahē was caught by another dog, also on the shore of Lake Te Anau, on 7 August 1898; the dog, named 'Rough', was owned by musterer Jack Ross. PHOTO: LAURA SMITH, 2015 Toyota Corolla LEVIN SX FWD 1.8P HATCH, Great white shark 'sent chill up spine' during filming - Gayford, Thousands line the streets for Invercargill Christmas Parade, Faulty fan heater causes Grasmere house fire, Minister reflects on journey a month into her new job, Three remanded on kidnapping, aggravated burglary charges, Premature New Zealand twins born at 23 weeks, New Zealand already has a capital gains tax - you probably just didn't know it, Flooding closes main road out of Wellington, Concerns NZ Sports Hall of Fame may have to close, 'They’re not hiring Kiwis': Locals keen to pick fruit ignored, rejected. The population stood at 263 at the beginning of 2013. The offspring of the captive birds are used for new island releases and to add to the wild population in the Murchison Mountains. You can help us continue to bring you local news you can trust by becoming a supporter. [2] The population is 418 (as of October 2019) and is growing by 10 percent a year.[3]. [citation needed], Recently, human intervention has been required to maintain the breeding success of the takahē, which is relatively low in the wild compared to other, less threatened species, so methods such as the removal of infertile eggs from nests and the captive rearing of chicks have been introduced to manage the takahē population. For the journal, see, Takahē population, conservation and protection, del Hoyo, J. Elliott, A. World Population. By RNZ. Although this behaviour was previously unknown, the related pukeko occasionally feeds on eggs and nestlings of other birds as well. "It ran with great speed, and upon being captured uttered loud screams, and fought and struggled violently; it was kept alive three or four days on board the schooner and then killed, and the body roasted and ate by the crew, each partaking of the dainty, which was declared to be delicious. The Department of Conservation also runs a captive breeding and rearing programme at the Burwood Breeding Centre near Te Anau which consists of five breeding pairs. (1984) The Takahe: A relict of the Pleistocene grassland avifauna of New Zealand. Anatomist Richard Owen was sent fossil bird bones found in 1847 in South Taranaki on the North Island by collector Walter Mantell, and in 1848 he coined the genus Notornis ("southern bird") for them, naming the new species Notornis mantelli.

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