kiwi photo lover
Takahē - A National Treasure
One of the two rare Takahē at the Zealandia Ecosanctuary, Wellington, New Zealand. This flightless endemic bird was spending quite some time pecking at small stones on a path and it almost seemed to be choosing small stones to digest. Takahē can spend 19 hours a day feeding on the tussock grass shoots they love and they have been labelled the pandas of the bird world.
Takahē are a large flightless bird endemic to New Zealand and the world’s largest rail. Rediscovered in 1948 after 50 years considered extinct, the Takahē Recovery Programme has seen Takahē numbers increase to around 500 birds (scattered around 20 sanctuaries throughout New Zealand) although only 150 birds are considered breeding pair numbers.
Takahē evolved to life on the ground in the absence of ground-dwelling predators. They developed a large body (up to 4 kilos or nearly 9 pounds) standing 500mm tall (20 inches), with small wings and very strong legs. The arrival of European settlers and the introduction of predators such as rats and stoats saw numbers decimated until only a final population existed in a remote South Island mountain range as discovered in 1948.
Takahē have special cultural, spiritual and traditional significance to Ngāi Tahu, the iwi (Māori tribe) of most of New Zealand's South Island. Ngāi Tahu value Takahē as a taonga (treasure) and they continue to act as kaitiaki (guardians) of the Takahē by working with the Department of Conservation to protect this precious species.
Takahē - A National Treasure
One of the two rare Takahē at the Zealandia Ecosanctuary, Wellington, New Zealand. This flightless endemic bird was spending quite some time pecking at small stones on a path and it almost seemed to be choosing small stones to digest. Takahē can spend 19 hours a day feeding on the tussock grass shoots they love and they have been labelled the pandas of the bird world.
Takahē are a large flightless bird endemic to New Zealand and the world’s largest rail. Rediscovered in 1948 after 50 years considered extinct, the Takahē Recovery Programme has seen Takahē numbers increase to around 500 birds (scattered around 20 sanctuaries throughout New Zealand) although only 150 birds are considered breeding pair numbers.
Takahē evolved to life on the ground in the absence of ground-dwelling predators. They developed a large body (up to 4 kilos or nearly 9 pounds) standing 500mm tall (20 inches), with small wings and very strong legs. The arrival of European settlers and the introduction of predators such as rats and stoats saw numbers decimated until only a final population existed in a remote South Island mountain range as discovered in 1948.
Takahē have special cultural, spiritual and traditional significance to Ngāi Tahu, the iwi (Māori tribe) of most of New Zealand's South Island. Ngāi Tahu value Takahē as a taonga (treasure) and they continue to act as kaitiaki (guardians) of the Takahē by working with the Department of Conservation to protect this precious species.