Buff weka were introduced to the Chatham Islands from Canterbury in
1905. They have prospered in the absence of mustelid predators
(ferrets, stoats and weasels), which is fortunate as the subspecies has
been extinct in its original eastern South Island range since the
1930s. While weka are protected in the rest of New Zealand they can be
legally harvested in the Chathams, and weka-hunting during the
non-breeding season is a popular activity. The importance of weka to
the Chathams community is manifested in the islanders refering to
themselves as "Weka" whereas mainlanders are "Kiwis".
Weka can be seen throughout the main island and on Pitt Island, where they were introduced in the 1970s. |
Buff weka
|
|
