Fairy prions hatched in the Marlborough Sounds have been duped into believing Mana Island is their home.
The first of 240 chicks transferred to the island from Takapourewa (Stephens Island) in the Marlborough Sounds over the past three years has returned, heralding the success of a project to recreate a vibrant ecosystem on the island. It is the first time fairy prions have been successfully transferred to another location.