Only about 260 takahe are left - and just 60 breeding pairs. Photo / Getty Images
A new haven for takahe, one of New Zealand's most threatened native bird species, will be set up north of Auckland at Tawharanui.
The large blue-green flightless birds were thought extinct until rediscovery in 1948. Only about 260 birds are left including about 60 safe breeding pairs.
A release of
takahe to the largely predator-free Tawharanui Open Sanctuary within the Tawharanui Regional Park is planned for spring 2014. The sanctuary is already home to kiwi, saddlebacks, kakariki, bellbirds, robins and kaka.
"Welcoming a treasured species like takahe to Tawharanui is a sign of maturity for the open sanctuary and and a measure of success for this community-focused park," Auckland Council spokeswoman Christine Fletcher said.
"Takahe are a significant taonga for Maori and we look forward to working with iwi on this project."
