Sometimes, the most powerful signs of conservation success come when no one's looking — or, in this case, when someone happens to be listening.
While working on Tiritiri Matangi Island, a protected wildlife sanctuary off the coast of Auckland, wildlife ranger Nick Fisentzidis heard a rustle in the bush and stumbled upon an extraordinary sight: a takahē and a tuatara — two of New Zealand's most iconic and endangered species — in the middle of a feisty standoff.
The Department of Conservation shared the video on Instagram, showing the takahē chasing the country's largest living reptile. "I saw both of them having a bit of a bite and a nip at each other," Fisentzidis said in the video. "The takahē definitely had a go at the tuatara's tail, and they had a little bit of a scrap."
As detailed by the Miami Herald, Tuatara are ancient reptiles — the last survivors of a lineage that dates back to the dinosaurs — and takahē, once thought extinct, number just over 500 in the wild today. Seeing both of them healthy and interacting in the same habitat shows the impact of long-term conservation strategies, including habitat restoration, invasive species removal, and careful species management.
Documenting moments such as these on video — trail cameras are a particularly good setup — can help gauge population health, monitor species behavior, and track the success of rehabilitation efforts.
Glen Greaves, a senior takahē conservation ranger, explained that while takahē mostly eat grasses, they are omnivores. "Protein is obviously an important part of their diet," he said in a release. "... 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."
These rare encounters are reminders of what's at stake and what's possible through thoughtful environmental management, which helps ensure native species thrive and even restore lost ecosystems. Similar recent wins include a rare turtle sighting in the United States and pangolin sighting in Senegal, both of which demonstrate how protecting wildlife supports healthier, more resilient landscapes — and healthier communities that rely on local ecosystems for food, water, agriculture, and livelihoods.
"It's a neat snapshot of how these interactions may have gone in the past," Fisentzidis added in the release. "It also shows what's possible in the future if we really start to rally together to bring more of our native wildlife back."
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