On this day 60 years ago, Geoffrey Orbell rediscovered the takahe in Fiordland.
The takahe or nortornis (Porphyrio hochstetteri) looks like a pukeko at first glance, but it’s a bit tougher. It has a big bill and strong legs with which it could happily defend itself in a Friday night Courtenay Place melee.
After only four recorded sightings in the 19th century, the takahe had been believed extinct for 50 years. But in 1949, an expedition discovered a remant population in the Murchison Mountains to the west of Lake Te Anau.
The population declined to 118 in 1982, but with intensive management of deer (which devour its food supply) it began to slowly recover in its mountain stronghold. DOC’s website says that today there are 130 in the Murchisons and 60-odd on island sanctuaries.
A mistake in target recognition during a pukeko cull on Mana Island reduced the population by one, d’oh; however, the resident population on Kapiti Island near Wellington and Tiritiri Matangi near Auckland are major tourist drawcards.
So this Friday as you clink glasses on Courtenay Place or at your after-work social, propose a toast to a plucky blue-green customer that puts its political counterparts to shame. Here’s to the takahe.