BRAVE NEW WILDERNESS

This is a film about New Zealand’s unique and endangered landscapes told through the stories of the kakapo, the worlds rarest parrot, and the takahe, a giant mountain swamphen that was once thought extinct. Though once widespread these birds are now absent from almost all of their former range, wiped out by land-use change and introduced predators like stoats, rats and cats.

For half a century superhuman efforts have kept them alive. Scientists, conservationists and veterinarians, pioneers in the field of conservation, have fought many battles in an effort to increase numbers. It has been a rollercoaster ride of successes and failures but today, thanks to some incredible efforts, these birds have a firm foothold in the land of the living and their numbers are increasing. This population growth means that today the recovery teams can turn their attention to an even bigger goal, creating a Brave New Wilderness and returning these species to the landscapes they once called home.