The specie was retrieve to have get going nonextant in 1898 , but a tiny population was rediscover fifty old age later on the South Island of New Zealand . A prominent , flightless doll with a beautiful blue - green iridescent feather and bright ruby schnozzle , the takahē today only numbers around 70 in the natural state and is consider critically endangered . This puddle the fact thathunters accidentally shot four of themwhen they were intend to be culling another , standardised - looking but much more abundant , mintage all the more shocking .
The putting to death of the birds is “ deeply disappointing , ” according to New Zealand Conservation Department manager , Andrew Baucke . The hunters , member of the local deerstalker association , were license to belt down the much more mutual Australasian swamphen , or pukeko . These birds have a very like coming into court to the rarified takahē , but they are about half the size of it and can fly . They also survive in vast numbers across New Zealand often cause damage to the nest and eggs of threatened species . As a issue the birds are pick on the island refuge of Motutapu where , prior to the shooting , 21 takahē were known to live .
The National President of the New Zealand Deerstalker ’s Association ( NZDA ) , Bill O’Leary , said that he was “ appalled ” by what had bump . In astatementhe say : “ I share with the department a concern that the death will affect exertion to save an endangered species . I apologise to the department and to the country at large . The NZDA is devote to working with the section to protect endangered species and back land assets . ”
Hundreds of thou of dollar mark have been poured into protecting and build up the figure of takahē , which now number around 300 in immurement but only 70 or so in the wild . This think that the killing of the four birds on Motutapu represent about 5 % of the bird ’s entire wild population . An enquiry has been launch as to how the hunter err the birds , especially since they were instructed only to hunting birds “ on the fender , ” so the flightless takahē should not ahve been targeted .
Some conservationists are particularly incense considering the endangered doll had been be active to the island from another chancel , where the only other wild universe exists , for safety . Talking to theNew Zealand Herald , politician Rino Tirakatene said : “ There ’s no mode that they would send their treasured takahē to a asylum for it to be slaughter . There are even calls for the replication home of those birds . There is a lot of goodwill that goes with these gifts to improve the biodiversity and to see that they ’ve been needlessly been bowled over by some deerhunters is just really disappointing . ”
Image in school text : The pukeko is a common speices , that often out competes more threatened coinage . Credit : Fir0002 / Flagstaffotos CC BY - SA 2.0
