Saturday, June 4, 2011

Takitumu Conservation Area

On a recent visit to tropical Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Island group of Islands in the Pacific ocean, I had set as a goal the idea of visiting the Takitumu Conservation Area.

This area of land, owned by three families, had been set aside to help with the restoration of the population of the seriously rare kakerori bird. In the 1980's it was thought that there were less than 30 left worldwide.

In recent years, due to a management programme that includes irradication of pests, the kakerori has made a comeback. With the help of Tom Daniels a great Cook Islander and member of one of the families involved I was able to see this bird as Tom guided myself and two other visitors through the conservation area, ending at a high ridge where we were also able to see flying foxes(fruit bats) leaving their roosts in the evening.