Part Two: Beyond the Recovery – The Next Chapter for the Black Robin
Photo © Oscar Thomas — eBird S33787886, Macaulay Library ML45956411
It’s one thing to save a species from extinction. It’s another to ensure it thrives.
The Chatham Island black robin may no longer sit on the brink-but the work to secure its future is far from over.
A Population at Its Limit
Today, nearly all black robins live on Rangatira Island, with a smaller, struggling group on Mangere.
While both islands are predator-free, they’re small-just a few hundred hectares each. The population has hit what scientists call habitat carrying capacity, meaning there’s limited space and resources for further growth.
On Mangere, the population is under even more pressure, with low female survival rates and a male-heavy sex ratio impacting breeding success.
The Legacy of a Genetic Bottleneck
Because every living black robin descends from Old Blue, the population faces a severe genetic bottleneck.
This lack of genetic diversity increases the risk of disease, reduced fertility, and vulnerability to environmental change.
Conservation teams from DOC, Massey University, and the Chatham Islands are tackling this challenge with innovative strategies-relocating individuals between islands, studying genetic markers, and assessing new potential habitats across the island group.
New Strategies and Science-Driven Management
Modern black robin conservation is a blend of science, technology, and old-fashioned perseverance:
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Translocations: Moving individuals between islands to balance sex ratios.
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Structured Decision-Making Models: Tools used by DOC and partners to plan for population stability.
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Habitat Restoration: Replanting native forest and maintaining predator-free sanctuaries.
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Monitoring: Using technology and field surveys to track nesting, breeding, and behaviour.
Each action aims to give the black robin not just a future-but a resilient one.
The Power of Predator-Free Protection
While habitat and genetics are key, the black robin’s survival depends on one fundamental condition: staying predator-free.
Rats, cats, and stoats once decimated the species. Their total absence on the Chatham Islands’ sanctuary islands is what allows the black robin to persist today. It’s a powerful reminder that effective pest control saves lives-not just on remote islands, but across all of Aotearoa.
This is why every trapping line, every bait station, and every community-led predator project matters.
How You Can Help
You don’t have to travel to the Chathams to make an impact:
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Support Predator Free NZ or your local community trapping group.
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Keep your property rodent-free using certified traps and long-life lures.
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Share the black robin story to inspire others to take action.
Every small act of protection-urban or rural-helps preserve the conditions that species like the black robin depend on.
A Final Word
“The black robin’s recovery isn’t just a success story-it’s a responsibility.”
What began as a desperate rescue has become an ongoing commitment. Together, through predator control, habitat protection, and community awareness, we can ensure the Chatham Island black robin never faces extinction again.