The Department of Conservation’s annual takahē count has tallied bird numbers to over 400 for the first time in at least a century.
The population has reached a high of 418 after a record breeding season that produced 65 takahē chicks.
Breeding pair numbers have more than doubled in the past six years, from 66 in 2013 to 130 today.
Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage said today it was "great news" for takahē, which were considered extinct until rediscovered in 1948.
“I congratulate all those involved in the Takahē Recovery Programme for their tremendous work in growing the population of this once critically-endangered taonga. This includes the dedicated and skilled DOC staff who work hands-on with takahē and programme partners Ngāi Tahu and Fulton Hogan whose support has been instrumental in the takahē recovery gains being achieved,” Ms Sage said.
“Science-based conservation techniques are behind the DOC Takahē Recovery Programme’s success in increasing the population’s annual growth rate to more than 10 per cent,” Eugenie Sage said.
About two-thirds of the takahē population is spread across 18 secure island and mainland sanctuaries.
“While the overall population number is good news, the number of breeding pairs is a more accurate indicator of population health. The number of takahē breeding pairs shows a good gender and age balance in the population and is critical to being able to keep pushing takahē further away from extinction,” Ms Sage said.
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