Whio return to the Rees Valley for first time in 50 years

A sighting of two whio (blue duck) in the Rees Valley last week is being celebrated as a significant milestone for conservation in the Southern Lakes region.

The pair were spotted by our field team while installing a new predator trapping line near Hunter Creek, as part of ongoing work to protect takahē.

Whio have not been recorded in the area since the 1970s. Their return is a strong indicator that large-scale predator control across the valley is improving the outlook for native wildlife.

Evidence that conservation efforts are working

Southern Lakes Sanctuary CEO Paul Kavanagh says the conditions that enabled the return of takahē to the Rees Valley in 2025 are likely contributing to the reappearance of other native species.

“The conservation work needed to support takahē are the same measures that benefit many other native species,” he says. “Seeing whio appear in the valley is hugely exciting and rewarding for all the people who have been part of this journey. It’s proof that years of hard work and collaboration are starting to deliver real results for native taonga.”

Whio pair at Hunter Creek

The whio sighting follows another encouraging milestone in 2025, when western weka were confirmed in the Rees Valley – another species that had been absent from the area for many years.

These moments reflect the impact of coordinated predator control across the wider landscape, with Southern Lakes Sanctuary working closely alongside the Department of Conservation’s Takahē Recovery Programme, Ngāi Tahu, Rees Valley Station and our partner group Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust.

A return with deep local significance

The return of whio has particular significance for those who have lived and worked in the valley for decades.

Rees Valley Station – a historic high country property with a long pastoral history – has been farmed by the Scott family for generations.

Iris Scott, who has lived on the station since the 1970s, carried on farming the land after the death of her husband, Graeme Scott, and now manages it alongside her daughters, Kate and Diane. She says the return of whio is something she has long hoped to see again.

“Releasing takahē into the Rees Valley last year was already a landmark moment for us,” she says. “But seeing whio again is beyond what I’d hoped for. I remember seeing them when I first started farming here in the 1970s, and it’s always been a personal dream to see them return.”

Iris Scott, Rees Valley Station

Estelle Pura Pera-Leask (Ngāi Tahu, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Ruanui), trustee for Southern Lakes Sanctuary, says the return of native species also reflects a deeper relationship between people and the environment.

“For Ngāi Tahu, the return of species like whio reflects the restoration of relationships between people, whenua and waterways, and the responsibility of kaitiakitanga to protect them for future generations.”

Looking ahead

While it is too early to know whether the pair may go on to breed, the sighting is an encouraging sign that sustained predator control and collaboration across the landscape are starting to deliver results.

Continued collaboration between landowners, iwi, community groups and funding partners will be essential to ensuring native species can return and thrive across the region.