Department of Conservation staff on Maud Island in the Marlborough Sounds have achieved a rare double success by rearing two sets of twin takahe chicks this summer.
The sanctuary is home to 13 adult takahe and the addition of four chicks is a huge boost to the survival of the species,
with only 220 worldwide.
Maud Island's resident ranger, Steve Ward, said the birth of two sets of twin chicks was a first for the island, and only once had a set of twins survived to maturity.
The younger set of chicks are 52 days old and the older 81 days.
This puts them past the critical first 40 days of life.
Mr Ward said the breeding programme could have been even more successful on the island had three other nests not failed.
But four chicks was the best result since 1992, when there were also four chicks.
The programme began in 1985.
Mr Ward said a lot more effort this year had gone into raising the chicks' survival rates by supplementary feeding and checking nests.
Meanwhile, one of the island's stars, Eric, is still away at Massey University having surgery on a bad knee.
Mr Ward said male takahe were in short supply at present so Eric's speedy return to the island would be welcome.
Maud is one of four island habitats for the takahe breeding programme. The others are Mana and Kapiti Islands in the Wellington area and Tiritiri Matangi in the Hauraki Gulf.
The bulk of the takahe population lives in the wild in the Murchison Mountains in Fiordland.
- NZPA
Herald feature: Environment
