Hauturu, or Little Barrier IslandLittle Barrier Island, or Hauturu, lies 80km north of Auckland city on the outer edge of the Hauraki Gulf and has been an invaluable refuge for a range of threatened native species since feral cats were eliminated in the 1970s.
Accordingly, in 1998, the Little Barrier kakapo were moved to the more easily-managed Maud and Whenua Hou (Codfish Island). The island is still a specially-protected nature reserve, and no unauthorised landing is permitted. A rat eradication programme was carried out in 2006. |
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Yet, the continued presence of rats, the rugged landscape and the thick forest made Little Barrier a difficult island on which to manage kakapo. Several birds went missing for years at a time on the island, and some eggs and chicks were lost to rat predation.