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Story: Rabbits

Weka

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Weka

The ground-dwelling weka was one of just two native predators of rabbits. Ironically, when mustelids (ferrets, stoats and weasels) were released in New Zealand in the 1880s to help control rabbits, they killed large numbers of weka.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: B-110-004

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Robert Peden, Rabbits – Using predators for control, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/15263/weka (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Robert Peden, published 1 March 2009.