captive rearing, mark–recapture, nest manipulation, New Zealand, predator control

Demography of takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) in Fiordland: environmental factors and management affect survival and breeding success

The last remaining natural population of the critically endangered takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) is confined to the Murchison Mountains in Fiordland, New Zealand. This mainland population contains about half of the c. 300 remaining takahe and benefits from one of the costliest recovery programmes in the country. Management activities include deer culling, stoat trapping, nest manipulation (e.g. removal of infertile eggs) and captive rearing of chicks.