The Department of Conservation have wasted little time in actioning their plan to remove native birds from Te Anau's embattled Bird Sanctuary, with two kōwhiowhio/blue ducks already leaving the park this morning (29 Jul).

Kākāriki (Antipodes Island Parakeet). Photo: Chris Watson/ Profocus

This followed a DOC statement released yesterday afternoon saying the movement of all bird, excluding the six takahe, would take place "over the coming months."

The sanctuary has been one of Te Anau's favourite attractions with up to 66,000 tourists and locals visiting it each year, however its future has been up in the air after DOC announced in February that it would be withdrawing from the facility.

The DOC decision spawned the creation of several local groups to try and save the park and it's birds.

A Great South public consultation process on the future of the park was also started by DOC, site owners Southland Fish and Game and iwi Ōraka Aparima Rūnaka. Closing date for survey submissions is 3rd August.

DOC Operations Manager Te Anau, John Lucas, said the kōwhiowhio were going to Isaacs Wildlife Conservation Trust.

The private Christchurch-based trust already operates a captive breeding programme in partnership with DOC.

Te Anau Bird Sanctuary's six takahe appear to be safe from removal. Photo: Chris Watson/Profocus

"Others are in planning, and we will share with the community once confirmed," Lucas said.

"Reducing the number of species at the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary is a temporary measure to ensure DOC can safely continue managing the site with reduced capacity."

“We acknowledge the community disappointment around the rehoming of some species. It is hard to see some of the much-loved taonga species move to new homes."

"However, we are simply unable to continue operating as we have, so have needed to change how we manage the Sanctuary for the foreseeable future," Lucas said.

Lucas said it had not been an easy process or decision and asked that people be considerate of DOC staff while they carry out the changes.

Save our Sanctuary group spokesperson Ken Brown said that following DOC's statement yesterday he had thought they had another month or two before any birds were moved, so today's actions had left him totally disappointed.

Te Anau Bird Sanctuary's two two kōwhiowhio/blue ducks are now being relocated to the Isaacs Wildlife Conservation Trust in Christchurch. Photo: Chris Watson/Profocus

"Because this happened in parallel to the public consultation process, it just doesn't make sense."

"It now makes it very difficult for us to go forward and re-establish the sanctuary," Brown said.

Southland MP Joseph Mooney said he was disappointed by DOC's decision.

"It's disappointing frankly that DOC is removing these birds."

"I'll be asking questions from DOC and I'll be raising this with the minister as well to try and find out what is going on."

"I would like to see something remain there."

Mooney said he was also keen to have further discussions with both Great South and Oraka Aparima Runaka, as he knew they were keen to do something with the park - "which I think would be great for Te Anau".

Southland District mayor Rob Scott expressed surprise when told of today's events and said it seemed things were moving very quickly.

However he said he had attended a meeting about the sanctuary and remained confident in the public consultation process that was happening at the moment.