#notornis

Quammen and Paku, the breeding pair at Orokonui Ecosanctuary, and two of their chicks.

AKA Notornis mantelli hochstetteri and Porphyrio mantelli hochstetteri.

A flightless Rail, and the world's largest living species in the family. Endangered, and believed hunted to extinction by 1898, then rediscovered in 1948 around Lake Te Anau in the Murchison Mountains. The North Island Takahē or Moho (Porphyrio mantelli) didn't have the same luck.

They lost most of their lowland habitat as swamplands were destroyed for agriculture, and in the wild now live only in alpine tussock grasslands, moving down into forests in winter. Deer remain serious competitors, leading to culling programs in the Murchisons.

Breeding pairs have been sent to refuges around the country, to try and preserve the species should anything else befall the wild birds. Inbreeding even in the wild population has unfortunately lead to serious fertility problems, on top of their slow reproductive rate.

Takahe

The South Island takahē, notornis, or takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri), is a flightless bird indigenous to New Zealand and belonging to the rail family. It was thought to be extinct after the last four known specimens were taken in 1898. However, after a carefully planned search effort the bird was rediscovered near Lake Te Anau in the Murchison Mountains, South Island, on 20 November 1948.