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Prehistoric bird once thought extinct returns to New Zealand wild (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 1 year ago by anon6789@beehaw.org to c/science@beehaw.org

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In New Zealand, the return of wild takahē populations marks a cautiously celebrated conservation victory, and the return of one of the world’s rarest creatures. The birds had been formally declared extinct in 1898, their already-reduced population devastated by the arrival of European settlers’ animal companions: stoats, cats, ferrets and rats. After their rediscovery in 1948, their numbers are now at about 500, growing at about 8% a year.

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[–] anon6789@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Thank you for all that! As I said, we don't seem to get taught much about that part of the world. LotR is probably the only NZ thing I can recall of the top of my head, which is pretty embarrassing.

[–] taldennz@lemmy.nz 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

In that case let's really blow your mind...

A Kiwi is a bird or a person, not a fruit.

... Also New Zealand is comprised of three major islands North Island, South Island and West Island... Also some of my facts may be slightly inaccurate - but not the bit about the fruit.

[–] anon6789@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I had heard the kiwi stuff, but you had me second guessing myself!

I did look up the island names since I had never heard Aotearoa before, and a few of the blurbs say there are a few hundred actual islands that make up New Zealand, but it seems nobody can agree on an actual number because they all have a different estimate.

[–] taldennz@lemmy.nz 2 points 1 year ago

Actually New Zealand has quite a few islands and more than three that are inhabited, but the three that most people refer to are North Island, South Island and Stewart Island (even though there are larger populations on others). The fourth most likely inhabited island to be mentioned is Waiheke Island (and the third most populated).