The world's conservation community is mourning the death of Tauranga resident Don Merton.

Don, 72, was an internationally renowned conservationist who is credited with saving many of New Zealand's endangered native birds.

Don Merton.

His wife, Margaret, cared for him at their Tauranga home after he was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, before he died there on Sunday.

In November 2009, Don was given the honour of naming New Zealand's 100^th kakapo.

He chose the name Te Atapo, meaning ‘the dawn after the night' because of its significance to the recovery effort. He said the name came to him immediately.
'The 100th kakapo symbolises the dawning of new hope – a brighter future after an unprecedented dark episode in kakapo history,” said Don.
He was instrumental in the kakapo recovery programme for the Wildlife Service and since 1987 its successor the Department of Conservation.
He continued to play a leading role in the programme until his retirement in 2005. He continued to closely follow and advocate for the species.
As well as involvement with kakapo, Don was known for developing and leading the successful recovery programme for the Chatham Island black robin and is considered a pioneer in bird conservation both nationally and internationally.
In 1989, Don was awarded the Queen's Service Medal; in the following year he received the Royal Society of New Zealand's Sir Charles Fleming Memorial Award for environmental achievement.
In 1992, Massey University acknowledged his contribution to conservation with the conferral of the honorary degree of Doctor of Science.