New Zealand saved the Goth bird from extinction. And she won the election

In New Zealand, a conservation program managed to save a rare bird - the Chatham Petroica, also referred to in the press as the black raspberry. This very small creature (from 40 to 45 grams) from the order of sparrows lives exclusively on the Chatham Islands. The bird, which in the language of the indigenous Maori people is called karure, is sometimes called "goth" - because of its black plumage, black eyes and a small black beak.

In the 1970s, severe habitat conditions and pests almost completely destroyed the population, leaving only five birds, of which only two are paired. The breeding program helped save the black raspberry, raising the number to 350, although the species is still in the status of “endangered”.

In September 2026, “a record number of New Zealanders took part in the elections, but not in the national elections,” but to vote for the “Bird of the Year” and support the black robin. She was ahead of the famous flightless Kakapo parrot and the New Zealand Falcon, who took second and third places respectively.

The New Zealand Bird of the Year competition is held annually and has often been the subject of controversy. In 2019, there were versions of “interference in Russia” (the Kremlin rejects claims that Moscow somehow influences the internal affairs of other countries), this time the organizers said that all votes were cast in accordance with the law.