Rahui Papa (Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura, Waikato-Tainui) blessing the manu before they were released on the maunga. Photo: Roy Pilott.
The return of kākāpō to the North Island after a 40 year absence was a triumph for Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari and as well as cooperating iwi.
And the pride of Department of Conservation staff and National Kākāpō Recovery team members – parading two of the remarkable parrots like proud parents on the maunga today underlined the personal pride that also went into it.
Daryl Eason has spent more than a quarter of a century working to save the world’s only most remarkable parrot and he was on the maunga today showing off one of the four birds sent north by Ngāi Tahu.
The four males – potentially to become 10 – will be monitored for several seasons before the next step of introducing females is considered.
But ultimately, Maungatautari can become the North Island jewel in a crown for the species’ recovery.
Numbers have risen in recent years to close to 250 – to the point that space on offshore sanctuaries has almost been exhausted.
The flightless birds were flown north as part of an arrangement which involved an iwi to iwi transfer from Ngāi Tahu to Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Raukawa, Ngāti Hauā, and Waikato.
The release followed a pōwhiri and signing of a memorandum of understanding at nearby Pohara marae.
Maungatautari’s Janelle Ward, who features in The News this week talking about the transfer told the gathering at Maungatautari “we can bring species back from the brink of extinction”.
She said the arrival of kākāpō had been 20 years in the making. It was the 15th species to be released into the sanctuary – and it would not be the last, she said.
Up he rises: the first of the four kākāpō to be seen on Maungatautari is taken out of his box. Photo: Roy Pilott
Precious cargo – Maungatautari Biosecurity Team Leader Owen Woodward leads the procession as the four birds are readied for release. Photo: Roy Pilott.
