Takahē News

70+ years ago, takahē were thought to be extinct! Thankfully this endemic New Zealand bird species was rediscovered by tramper and bird enthusiast Dr Geoffrey Orbell, high in the Murchison Mountains. 

Thanks to the conservation work of the Department of Conservation, Ngāi Tahu and others (including Auckland Zoo since 2013), the population of takahē has now grown to more than 500 individuals. This might not seem like a lot, but for a species that was thought to be extinct, it’s a massive conservation effort! 

Auckland Zoo cares for a pair of takahē in our Whenua Waotu/High Country habitat, where visitors can connect with this endemic species and contribute to their conservation simply by visiting.  

Auckland Zoo bird keepers assist with takahē health checks annually.  

With such a small population every takahē is precious and regular monitoring is vital. Each year, Auckland Zoo bird keepers travel to predator-free islands in the Hauraki Gulf and mainland sites where takahē live, to assist the Department of Conservation’s Takahē Recovery Group with health checks for the North Island metapopulation of  takahē. 

Health checks typically involve a full physical check of each bird, giving disease-preventative vaccines, attaching radio transmitters that track these birds’ movements, and taking blood samples to help optimise genetic diversity and breeding.  

Read more about this New Zealand species and the mahi of our bird keepers in these stories.