Forest and Bird releases 44 rare black stilts

More than 40 rare black stilts raised in captivity had their first taste of freedom yesterday when they were released near Lake Tekapo by 13 South Canterbury Forest and Bird members.

The South Canterbury branch this year is celebrating its 50th anniversary and has been associated with protecting the endangered kaki-black stilt since the late 1970s.

The 44 9-month-old birds have been raised since November as part of a recovery programme, 34 at the captive breeding centre run by the Department of Conservation at Twizel and 10 at Peacock Springs, Christchurch.

A further 40 birds will be released in the Mackenzie Basin later this week, all raised at the Twizel centre.

Yesterday's release was at a site initially set up with predator fencing and funding provided by Forest and Bird's South Canterbury branch in the late 1970s.

Then, the kaki-black stilt population was only 23 birds, making it the rarest wading bird in the world.

That led to a recovery programme being put in place in the 1980s.

Yesterday's release boosted the wild population to more than 200 birds.

If the young juveniles can survive to adulthood - 2 years old - then there is a greater chance of them finding a mate and further boosting the population.

Obstacles to their survival include a large number of predators, such as stoats, feral cats and ferrets.

Predator fencing around release sites and ongoing trapping programmes help reduce those risks.