North Canterbury News: September 30, 2021

NEWS
8 North Canterbury News, September 30, 2021
$10,000 reward for proof kokako still exists
By SHELLEY TOPP
A$10,000 reward is on offer for proof
that the South Island kokako still exists,
and North Canterbury is on the search
radar.
Nina Valley, Doubtful Valley and Hope
Valleyinthe Lake Sumner Forest Park,
have been areas of interestinthe search
for some time, and there have also been
reports of possiblesightings along the St
James Walkway and around Hanmer
Springs.
The South IslandKokakoCharitable
Trust willpay the reward for the first
informationreceived that results in
confirmationthat the SouthIsland
kokakoisstill alive.
‘‘We are hugely grateful to the two
sponsors of this reward, initially Mohua
Investments Ltd and then The Morgan
Foundation, who matched the earlier
rewardof$5000,’’the Trust’s manager,
Inger Perkins,says.
The searchfor ‘‘the grey ghost’’,which
has a‘‘datadeficient’’conservation status
but is believed by sometobeextinct,
began four decades ago with asmall
group of individuals who were convinced
the South Island kokakostillexisted.
Although their beliefswere unable to
be substantiated, reports of sightings
have persisted and in 2010 the South
IslandKokakoCharitable Trust was
established to intensifythe searchby
complementing the work being done by
the Department of Conservation, and
others, in the campaigntodeterminethe
bird still existed.
The Trust has changed the game by
organising systematicsearches in sites it
ranks as most likely to result in an
encounter.
‘‘We have received, and followed up,
some truly exciting reports of the bird.
‘‘Yet despite our hardwork, we have
yet to determine for surethat the bird
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survives,’’ Inger says.
Apublic search campaign poster,
launched by the Trust with the reward, in
2017, has triggered considerable
renewedinterestinthe search with more
than 260 new reports since then,which
have included bird­callrecordings.
However, the Trustwants more than bird
calls to prove the South Island kokako,
identified by its orange wattles, silverblue
plumage and ablackfacial mask,
has avoided extinction.
‘‘Other native birdssuch as kaka,
korimako(bellbirds),and tui can sound
very similar,even to ears keenly attuned
to kokakoafter decadesoflisteningand
looking,’’ Ingersays.
The Trust is asking for the public to
help with the search ‘‘by keeping their
ears and eyes peeled and ideally
cameras/phones at the ready’’ to record
images and sounds.‘‘We are appealing to
you all, birders, trampers,hunters, pest
managersand all other backcountry
users, to be the additional ears and eyes
of the search effort,’’ she says.
‘‘We wantaphoto and any other
compelling evidence that the birdisstill
alive so that it can be conserved
appropriately.
‘‘If we get that, it willbeworld news
and we will be thrilledtopay the $10,000
reward.’’
Any evidence provided will be
considered by the Trustand
independent,expert ornithologists.
‘‘The search is urgent,’’ Inger says.
‘‘If South Islandkokako still exist there
will be very few leftand they need to be
found and protected.’’
More informationabout the South
Island kokako and the search for it can
be found on the Trust’s website, www.
southislandkokako.org.
Membersofthe community can also
help the Trust by giving donations to help
with the search.
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Elusive ... The South Island Kokako Charitable Trust is offering a$10,000 reward for
information, resulting in confirmation that the South Island Kokako is still alive and can be
conserved appropriately.
IMAGE: SOUTH ISLAND KOKAKO CHARITABLE TRUST
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