Source: NZ Department of Conservation
With a bumper breeding season forecast for kākāpō in 2026, we explain why eradicating introduced predators from Rakiura/Stewart Island is critical, so this iconic parrot has space to grow along with other threatened species.
Predator Free Rakiura (PFR) is preparing for its first large-scale attempt to eradicate introduced predators in a trial at the southern tip of the island next year.
The project has been in development for nearly 30 years, and the aim is to remove rats, possums, feral cats and hedgehogs from the island and prevent them from reinvading.
The stakes just got higher with the announcement that next year could be the biggest kākāpō breeding season on record. These rare parrots desperately need more space to breed and grow, and Rakiura contains the ideal habitat for them, however, predators need to be eradicated first to ensure their safety.
Huge ambition behind PFR partnership
PFR is being led by the Department of Conservation (DOC) in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP), with input from the Rakiura community.
ZIP is planning and delivering the project, building off its successful predator elimination project in South Westland. Priorities this year include ongoing engagement with the Rakiura and Bluff communities and research on the effectiveness of tools and techniques that will be used in the eradication trial.
Te Puka Rakiura Trust is developing a biosecurity system to prevent predators from returning to Rakiura after they are eradicated.
It’s the largest, most complex predator eradication ever attempted, and there are important conservation, social and economic outcomes at stake:
- Protecting vulnerable native species on the island, returning threatened wildlife and improving forest health.
- Developing tools and techniques to eradicate predators on the mainland.
- On-the-ground results to help generate further funding and public support to make New Zealand Predator Free by 2050.
- Social and economic benefits for Rakiura and Southland communities and industries.
Imagining a predator-free future
The forecast for a bumper kākāpō breeding season next year is a huge deal because there are less than 250 kākāpō remaining and they only breed every few years when rimu trees have mass fruiting.
See this blog for more information about the breeding season ahead.
The problem is there’s not enough habitat to safely home these chicks in the long run, with predator free islands including nearby Whenua Hou/Codfish Island close to maximum capacity.
Tāne Davis, who is a Ngāi Tahu representative on the Kākāpō Recovery Group and a long-time advocate for PFR, says kākāpō need to return home.
“Rakiura is the original hou kainga for these birds, as many of them or their parents came from here. The pressure is on for us to make it possible for them to return.”
Imagine a future where Rakiura is free of predators and kākāpō become so abundant again that children can hear their booming calls on bush walks.
“The lifeforce of kākāpō and our people will be enhanced through this connection,” Tāne says.
Rakiura can save kākāpō again
In 1977, a small population of kākāpō were discovered on Southern Rakiura. Before this, people thought that kākāpō would become extinct because female kākāpō had not been found for decades. It was quickly discovered that kākāpō were not safe on Rakiura due to predation by feral cats.
Over the next few decades, kākāpō were transferred to predator-free islands, and with a founding population of 50 birds, the Kākāpō Recovery Programme was established. The Operations Manager for the programme, Deidre Vercoe, says Rakiura can save kākāpō again.
“With the population growing, our biggest challenge is finding safe habitat for kākāpō to thrive in. By creating new predator free sites, we can continue to restore this taonga. Rakiura saved the kākāpō in the past, and a predator-free Rakiura is key for the future of the species.”
Extinction prevention part of our DNA
In 1997, Rakiura DOC Ranger Phred Dobbins helped find the last kākāpō, named Solstice. Phred has spent much of his 40-year conservation career removing predators from smaller offshore islands, including about 3,000 possums from Whenua Hou with traps.
We can’t afford not to try and make Rakiura predator free, Phred says.
“The longer predators are here, the poorer the environment and we are becoming. We have the ability, motivation, and duty to make change, and we need to take calculated risks.”
This vision of a healthier, more harmonious ecosystem holds huge potential for many other native species, including those that still exist on the island like pukunui/southern New Zealand dotterel and other endangered species that could return like mohua/yellowhead and tīeke/South Island saddleback.
Find out more about the species that belong on Rakiura
Recent flock counts show pukunui is one of the most critically endangered native birds in New Zealand. There are only 105 left largely because of predation by feral cats, down from 173 in 2020.
Pukunui were once widespread in the lower part of Te Waipounamu, but now only breed on Rakiura mountain tops. We’re aiming to increase the population to at least 300 birds by 2035 by increasing predator control. However, if we can get rid of predators permanently, the population could expand well beyond this target.
“Extinction prevention is part of our DNA here at DOC. Imagine if we still had huia and moa and then let them disappear,” Phred says.
The anchor stone for Predator Free 2050
The vision for PFR expands further when we consider how critical this project is for New Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 goal.
Rakiura is the missing link in the chain of islands south of Bluff that have already been made predator-free including Codfish Island/Whenua Hou, Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara, Bench Island/Waitaua and most of the Tītī/Muttonbird Islands and the Sub-Antarctic Islands.
In Māori tradition, Māui fished up Te Ika-a-Māui (the North Island), Te Waipounamu (the South Island) was his waka, and Rakiura was the anchor stone.
Metaphorically, Predator Free Rakiura is the anchor stone project for Predator Free 2050, says Brent Beaven, Predator Free 2050 Manager.
“Rakiura will help to expand our foundation of knowledge so other eradication projects can be implemented across the country. For example, we are learning more about how to work across large, complex environments that are inhabited and utilised by people and a diverse array of native and introduced species.
“It’s a vital test of our capabilities. It’s the anchor stone project right now in the bid to make New Zealand predator-free.”
Find out more
Learn more about the critical role DOC has in this project alongside Ngāi Tahu, Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP), and Te Puka Rakiura Trust.
Predator Free Rakiura: Our work
Learn more about the PFR elimination trial and the research being done this year.
Community Updates – Predator Free Rakiura
Donate today to help eradicate predators from Rakiura/Stewart Island.
Visit New Zealand Nature Fund to donate
See frequently asked questions about Predator Free Rakiura.
