Banded Rails were formerly common on the mainislands of New Zealand but mammalian predation and habitat loss have severely reduced their numbers. In the Okiwi Valley they were seldom sighted until an intensive trapping campaign by the Department of Conservation saved them from predation by an extraordinarily high density of resident wild cats. This campaign, in aid of declining Brown Teal numbers, was not truly effective until the last few "supertom" cats were caught in specially adapted traps. The resultant impact on the Banded Rail population has been spectacular. Where there is sufficient cover and available food they are thriving. Although wary and secretive birds they are now commonly seen in the Okiwi Valley.