Richard Henry (conservationist) facts for kids

Richard Treacy Henry (born June 4, 1845 – died November 13, 1929) was a special person in New Zealand history. He was a conservationist, which means he worked to protect nature and animals. He was also a reserve manager and became an expert on New Zealand's amazing flightless birds, especially the kakapo.

Richard Henry was born in County Kildare, Ireland. When he was six years old, his family moved to Australia. Later, in the 1870s, he moved to New Zealand. He settled near Lake Te Anau in 1883. There, he worked many different jobs like a handyman, a rabbiter, a shepherd, and even a guide. While doing all this, he also spent a lot of time studying the local birds. He started writing articles about nature for newspapers like the Otago Witness.

Protecting New Zealand's Unique Birds

By 1891, people and the government were worried. Animals like mustelids (which are small, meat-eating mammals like stoats and ferrets) had been brought to New Zealand. These animals were harming New Zealand's native birds, especially the ones that couldn't fly. To help protect these birds, Resolution Island in Fiordland was made a special reserve.

Richard Henry's Big Job

In 1894, Richard Henry was chosen to be the caretaker of Resolution Island. This was a very important job, and he kept it for 14 years. His main task was to move many flightless birds to the island. He hoped they would be safe there from the mustelids. He moved many birds, including kakapo, weka, and kiwi.

The Challenge of Stoats

Sadly, the plan to save the kakapo on Resolution Island didn't work out as hoped. Around the year 1900, stoats managed to reach the island. This was a big problem because stoats are very good hunters. Unfortunately, the kakapo did not survive on Resolution Island after the stoats arrived.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1908, people became concerned about Richard Henry because he was getting older and lived in such an isolated place on Resolution Island. He was offered a new job as caretaker of Kapiti Island, another important bird sanctuary. He accepted this role and worked there for three more years. He retired from government service in 1911.

After retiring, he moved to Katikati in the Bay of Plenty in 1912. He lived there until 1922 before moving one last time to Helensville, which is north of Auckland. Richard Henry passed away in 1929.

A Kakapo Named Richard Henry

To honor his important work, a male kakapo was named "Richard Henry" in 1975. This kakapo was found in Fiordland and was the last known kakapo from the South Island. This special bird passed away on December 24, 2010. Richard Henry's efforts helped us understand and try to protect New Zealand's unique flightless birds.