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A takahē and a tuatara have been filmed engaging in a bush-floor stoush in a new video captured by a quick-thinking DOC Ranger.
Filmed on pest-free Tiritiri Matangi Island, the video shows New Zealand’s unique nature at its quirky best and highlights the value in protecting it.
It started with the takahē seemingly attacking the tuatara, says DOC Ranger Nick Fisentzidis – who quickly whipped out his phone to record the footage.
“I saw them having a bit of a nip at each other; the takahē definitely had a go at the tail of the tuatara, and they had a bit of a scrap.
“I followed them down the hill, and the tuatara got a couple of bites in, so the takahē backed off and snuck back away up the forest,” says Nick.
Although historically both takahē and tuatara were widespread across New Zealand, they now only co-exist in two locations, Tiritiri Matangi in the Hauraki Gulf and Zealandia in Wellington.
“It’s a neat snapshot of how these interactions may have gone in the past. It also shows what’s possible in the future if we really start to rally together to bring more of our native wildlife back,” says Nick.
Tuatara are the last survivors of an order of reptiles known as sphenodontia, that thrived in the age of the dinosaurs, 200 million years ago, but now only survive in places where invasive mammalian predators have been eradicated.
The endemic, flightless takahē are the world’s largest living rail are a taonga species to Ngāi Tahu. Historically thought to be extinct twice, there are now just over 500 throughout the country, with around half living at sanctuary sites and half in the wild.
DOC takahē recovery senior ranger Glen Greaves says takahē are often thought to be herbivorous (vegetarian), but in reality they are omnivorous.
“This means they’ll eat almost anything. Although primarily grass feeders, they will often supplement their diet with insects, lizards, and have even been spotted taking ducklings.
“Protein is obviously an important part of their diet.
“Like their cousins the pūkeko and weka, takahē can be quite predatory. Although taking on a tuatara hasn’t been seen before that I’m aware of, it is not at all surprising.
“Just a bit bigger than their usual snack! It’s good to see the tuatara stand up for itself,” says Glen.
Tiritiri Matangi Island is regarded as one of the most successful community-led conservation projects in the world, where rare native birds and reptiles thrive.
The island is open to the public and is just a 75-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland.
Before visiting any pest-free island you should check, clean, and seal your gear to ensure you don’t bring pests, soil, and seeds.
