A $10,000 reward for sighting the South Island Kōkako remains unclaimed.
After three years, more than 200 possible encounters have been reported. However, the bird known as the ‘Grey Ghost’ remains elusive.
The South Island Kōkako Charitable Trust, which is offering the reward, has said the reward would be paid once experts confirmed any evidence was confirmed.
The bird had been listed as extinct until 2013. Then a number of credible sightings prompted it to be reclassified. But there is still no confirmation it exists.
Anyone out in the native forests of South Island and Stewart Island should let them know if they see or hear anything which could be the South Island kōkako.
People have submitted photos of birds they thought to be the South Island kōkako, none have been positively identified and so far they have turned out to be something else such as a tui.
