Philesturnus carunculatus was once widespread over the North and South Islands, New Zealand, and some offshore islands, but by the early 1900s, was extinct on the mainland. The North Island subspecies rufusater survived only on Hen Island, and the South Island subspecies carunculatus was reduced to three islets off Stewart Island^1,3. Since 1964, rufusater has been introduced successfully to surrounding islands, and its population now numbers over 6,000 birds on 12 islands, with the capacity to increase to over 19,000 birds⁴. Since 1964, carunculatus has been established on 15 islands⁴, and the three original "donor" island populations have become extinct. The population has increased to over 1,200 birds, with the capacity to increase to 2,500 birds⁴. In June 2002, 39 rufusater were released into the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, a 250 ha patch of native forest surrounded by a predator-proof fence on the New Zealand mainland⁴. Plans are also underway to release carunculatus into the Rotoiti Nature Recovery area, an intensively managed and pest-controlled beech forest in the Nelson district⁴.