Takahē could be latest victim of stoat on Auckland's Motutapu Island

Thursday, 25 February 2021

A takahē found dead on Motutapu Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf could be the latest victim of a stoat on the island.

Dave Wilson, the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) senior biodiversity ranger, said the takahē was found dead on Sunday.

Its cause of death is unknown, so its remains have been sent off for a necropsy.

Stoats are known predators of the flightless bird, which only live for 16 to 18 years in the wild and 20 to 22 years at sanctuary sites.

**READ MORE:

* Ten rare birds evacuated from Motutapu Island during hunt for stoat

* Hunt on to catch another stoat in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf after rare birds found dead

**

The nationwide population as of October 2020 was 445.

DOC, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and Kiwis for Kiwi began the hunt for the stoat on the island in January, after three tūturuatu (shore plover) were found dead.

Ten of the rare birds – believed to be the entire remaining tūturuatu population on Motutapu – were evacuated from the island earlier this month.

The nine adults and one juvenile tūturuatu were sent to Cape Sanctuary in Hawke’s Bay and the Wairarapa’s Pukaha National Wildlife Centre for at least the next two months.

Wilson said fresh stoat prints were found on the island’s beaches on February 12 and 19.

This came despite the discovery of dry, old stoat remains, which were sent to a laboratory for further testing.

Wilson said a dog that specialises in finding stoat scat was on the island this week.

“This may give us more information about stoat presence and activity to guide our response.”

Although the tūturuatu population on Motutapu had struggled to become established, DOC’s Dave Houston said the adults would have “no problem” reacclimatising to island life once they can return.

“The greater issue is with only three males we will have a maximum of three breeding pairs, assuming all survive until the breeding season.”