REINTRODUCTION OF BUFF WEKAS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 23

REINTRODUCTION OF BUFF WEKAS

Birds Brought From Chatham Islands (From Our Own Reporter) x OTIRA. Nov. 15. Two pairs of buff wekas from the Chatham Islands have been placed in an enclosure at Arthur's Pass for acclimatisation. Since their arrival one of them has laid two eggs, but they have both been destroyed by the male birds. A further 16 birds are expected to arrive on the Holmburn which will leave the Chathams late this month. The National Park Board will, eventually. have 11 pairs to be reintroduced to the Poulter river area. They will be liberated from two sites and are expected to spread further afield as they become acclimatised. Some wekas lived in this area in the 1920’s but have since disappeared. The buff weka lives mainly on the East Coast of the South Island. It is thought that they were introduced to the Chatham Islands by the Maoris, but by 1868 they had become extinct on that island. In 1905 they were reintroduced from Canterbury. and have continued to thrive until they have now reached pest proportions. While thriving on the Chathams, the birds have disappeared almost completely from the Canterbury Plains, probably due to the disturbance of habitat.