Mitre 10 to celebrate 65 years of takahē with prize for four to Te Anau

Mitre 10 is offering the chance to meet one of New Zealand’s rarest native birds with an ultimate Te Anau takahē experience in its home habitat of Burwood Bush and the Murchison Mountains.

To celebrate 65 years since the takahē - a flightless bird native to New Zealand once thought to be extinct - was re-discovered, Mitre 10 is giving a lucky winner and three of their closest friends the opportunity to head to Fiordland for the trip of a lifetime.

Mitre 10 is providing return airfares to Queenstown, along with four nights accommodation in Te Anau, car hire, a Te Anau glow worm cave cruise, Ata Whenua movie screening in Fiordland, as well as the extraordinary tours with Department of Conservation (DOC) experts, where the winner and group will arrive in at the Murchison Mountains by helicopter.

Mitre 10’s General Manager Marketing, Dave Elliott, says it’s a brilliant opportunity for the winner. “This is an opportunity to show people where these amazing birds live, and also how they live. You just can’t buy that, and we’re really proud to be a part of the Takahē Recovery Programme, working with DOC to ensure the takahē get the exposure they deserve.”

The takahē remain critically endangered – only the kakapo is rarer - and although rediscovered in 1948, only 260 birds remain with the next step being extinction. Mitre 10 is ensuring that doesn’t happen, partnering with DOC since 2005 to save the species. Mitre 10’s support of the Takahē Recovery Programme has helped upgrade and build new breeding units and safe homes for the takahē, as well as transferring the takahē to offshore islands, where the birds are kept safe from predators so they’re able to breed and increase their numbers.

The takahē was recently introduced to Auckland Zoo, enabling Aucklanders to see the takahē for the first time since they were rediscovered in 1948. However, it’s another step for your average Kiwi to view one in its natural habitat in the Murchison Mountains where it was found 65 years ago.

Mr Elliott said that competitions like this will increase awareness of the takahē to everyday New Zealanders. “The takahē is one of New Zealand’s rarest birds, and it often slips under the radar, but they are an iconic bird to this country, and we’d really like to celebrate that by taking a group to Te Anau.”

“The DOC guides will be there, and they’ll take the winner to the rearing unit, visit the breeding pen, and also give a guided walk through the top pen. The helicopter will enable the winner access to the Murchison Mountains for a full day with the takahē ranger. It’s definitely going to be the experience of a lifetime,” says Mr Elliott.

The competition starts on Friday 1 November 2013. The competition will run online at the Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue Facebook page, closing on 27 November 2013. The winner will be drawn on 29 November 2013. In addition to the main prize are also 65 runner-up prizes, with each runner-up winning a takahē goodie pack.

Entry is available at www.mitre10takaherescue (redirected to the Mitre 10 Takahē Rescue Facebook page) or at www.facebook.com/Mitre10TakaheRescue.

ENDS

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