Seventeen critically endangered native parakeets have been transported from the South Island to predator-free Tuhua/Mayor Island in the Bay of Plenty, to save them from a predicted plague of predators in the beech forests where they live.
The orange-fronted parakeets have been brought to the brink of extinction by introduced predators - particularly stoats and rats, Department of Conservation ranger John Heaphy said.
It was estimated there were only about 200 kakariki parakeets left in three areas of alpine forest in the South Island.
"We're worried that beech trees are producing a huge number of seeds, known as a beech mast. This provides vast amounts of food for rats and their numbers could explode which would spark a surge in stoat numbers," Mr Heaphy said.
The orange-fronted parakeets released on Tuhua were hatched and raised by the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust at Peacock Springs.
