Remarkable recovery of kākā population
Monitoring in the mid 2000s highlighted an extreme imbalance the population with males outnumbering females six to one. Female kākā and chicks are more vulnerable to possum and stoat attacks as they nested in tree cavities.
DOC scientist, Terry Greene, said a new population sample taken in December last year has revealed a four-fold increase in the proportion of female kākā and 20 times as many juveniles.
Mr Greene said the rebound was ‘phenomenal’ and showed a major programme of pest control in the Waitutu Forest was working.
Other forest birds such as robin and kākāriki have also benefitted from the pest control programme which included localised trapping and poisoning for stoats and possums and three treatments of aerially-applied 1080.
Article reference: Behind the Scenes, conservation in Fiordland (Department of Conservation) 24.03.2017.
Posted on: Monday, 27 March 2017
