The fight against introduced predators across New Zealand will receive a significant boost through $2.13 million in Community Conservation Partnerships fund money announced today by Conservation Minister Maggie Barry.

"Pests like possums, rats and stoats are, without any doubt, the biggest threat to our native wildlife,” Ms Barry says.

"Birds such as the kiwi, kakapo and kokako evolved for millions of years in a world without teeth and with no mammals, and have no natural defenses against them. Predation has taken some native species to extinction, and we can't let the same thing happen to our remaining natural treasures.”

31 community groups from Whangarei to Fiordland will be able to start new pest control projects, expand existing efforts and make plans for the future.

The number of bovine tuberculosis (TB) infected foci has dropped below 40 for the first time in the history of New Zealand's TBfree programme delivered by OSPRI. According to this week's figures, an all-time low of 36 herds were infected with bovine TB (34 cattle and two deer herds).

History of Auckland Now (Stuff.co.nz), 9 Sep 2015

Two more pairs of kokako have been released into Auckland's Hunua Ranges, as the area is treated with 1080 to make it more habitable for the endangered birds.

The kokako were captured in Pureora Forest Park near Taumarunui on Tuesday and Wednesday and driven up to the Hunuas, south east of Auckland.