- Conservation status
- In serious trouble
The pukunui southern dotterel has quite a different lifestyle to their northern counterparts, basing their nests on the mountaintops of Rakiura Stewart Island and commuting down to the beach for some kai. Sometimes they even pop across Foveaux Strait to Southland's coastline to grab a feed. There are fewer than 101 pukunui southern New Zealand dotterels left.
Once upon a time, these birds bred on the mainland and up in the Southern Alps, with one intrepid couple recorded breeding at nearly 2500m above sea level! But introduced predators like stoats dealt a huge blow to these mountain-faring shorebirds. The remaining Rakiura pukunui continue to face threats – from feral cats and even deer, which have been observed eating their eggs.
Campaign Manager
Daniel Cocker
Daniel Cocker is the campaign manager for the pukunui southern New Zealand dotterel for the third year in a row. Daniel is passionate about the dotterel and has worked with them since he was 14 years old when there were roughly 250 birds left. Now 22 years old, he has seen the birds decline year after year to only 101 in 2024.
Daniel and his team are determined to get the top spot this year to raise awareness and help save these critically endangered birds from extinction! Time is running out, please help us by voting for the pukunui southern New Zealand dotterel to get these birds the help and attention they so desperately need.
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