One of our rarest and most endangered native birds, the New Zealand shore plover has been released on pest free Motutapu Island to increase its chances of survival.
The total population of New Zealand shore plover -Tuturuatu- in the wild is around 200.
The Department of Conservation released 17 of these critically endangered native shore birds on Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park yesterday (Sunday February 19).
Motutapu and neighbouring Rangitoto Island were declared pest free sanctuaries for threatened native wildlife and plants six months ago by Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson. This marked the removal of nine animal pests – ship rats, Norway rats, stoats, possums, mice, wallabies, feral cats, hedgehogs and rabbits – from both islands.
Read more at Voxy…