Air New Zealand's latest leading lady is the takahē, with the native bird taking centre stage in the airline's newest safety video.
Partnering with the Department of Conservation (DoC), the 'A Journey to Safety' video features facts about the takahē - as part of a goal to highlight the biodiversity crisis.
Air NZ's Jodi Williams says it's a way to educate New Zealanders.
"It's really important to be able to tell the story - we've been doing a lot of work around biodiversity [such as] bringing bird song back to the Great Walks," Williams told The AM Show on Friday.
The video features a young girl taking a lost takahē to its new home. Williams said the cost of making the video is little compared to the benefits that follow.
"While it's lighthearted on the surface, it conveys a really important message - our native birds need our help," said Williams.
"Our safety videos have collectively generated more than 180 million views over the past decade, so what better medium to shine a spotlight on New Zealand's biodiversity crisis."
DoC threatened species ambassador Nicola Toki said now is a critical time when it comes to Aotearoa's biodiversity crisis.
"The reality is, a huge number of our species are on the fast track to extinction," said Toki.
"Our native species are part of our identity as Kiwis, and it's so important to protect that."
