Species’ saviour to retire

Don Merton

The man who led the dramatic rescue of one of New Zealand's most famous birds is retiring after almost 50 years.

Almost exactly 30 years ago this month, Don Merton and a team of wildlife service staff and volunteers were camping in a remote Fiordland valley in a last-ditch attempt to find the native parrot kakapo, feared to be extinct.

One evening, he realised he was being stared at by a large bird and knew immediately what it was.

"It was the first time I had seen kakapo in the wild. It was a real thrill," the long-time Department of Conservation staffer says.

Six years later, the team found the first female kakapo.

"We didn't really know what a female looked like because none had been seen in living memory but this bird we caught was vocal, screaming and carrying on, and we thought: this one is different."

DoC is hoping the kakapo population will reach 91 this year, its highest in recent times after the population plunged to just 50 in 1995.

Mr Merton is also credited with rescuing the Chatham Island black robin from extinction.