Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust
15 March, 2007

Kiwi fly conservation-class to new home in Te Puke

Two North Island brown kiwi found out what it felt like to fly yesterday (14 March), after boarding a plane in Christchurch and landing in Rotorua to be escorted to their new home in Te Puke.

The two kiwi, named Whetu and Maui, were raised as part of a national captive breeding programme at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.  They are the first North Island brown kiwi to be reintroduced into Otanewainuku forest in Te Puke after four years of joint preparation by the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust and the Department of Conservation.

Mark Dean, chairman of the Trust, said he was excited to see a happy ending to all the hard work put in by volunteers.

“This is a great milestone for us.  Our volunteers have spent thousands of hours removing pests and predators from more than 1000 hectares of untouched native forest in order to prepare the environment for a safe and successful kiwi release.”

The Trust, along with local iwi, DoC staff, and representatives from sponsoring companies celebrated the arrival of the kiwi by holding a small ceremony to introduce the birds to their new home and mark a memorable day. The ceremony kicks off the Trust’s fund raising for the building of a predator proof crèche to protect kiwi chicks before their eventual release back into the forest.

Dave Wills, a DoC Ranger and member of the Trust drove the kiwi from Rotorua airport to their new home.

“It is so rewarding to see kiwi, our national icon, being reintroduced into the forest and to know that they will be protected.  It is a special and humbling experience for all involved,” he said.

Whetu and Maui will be monitored closely by DoC staff through small radio tracking devices attached to their legs. It is hoped the introduction of new kiwi will encourage increased breeding among the Otanewainuku population.

The multi award winning Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust was formed in 2002 to undertake pest control for the existing kiwi population and allow successful breeding and reintroduction.

For further information, or photos of the Kiwis being released, please contact:
Dave Wills
Ph: 578 7677
Mob: 027 651 9390
Email: dwills@doc.govt.nz

The Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust Inc. is a registered charitable trust.

Mission: To ensure the long term survival of Kiwi in Otanewainuku Forest, and preserve our taonga of native flora, fauna and birdlife for generations to come.

The Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust has a memorandum of understanding with the New Zealand Department of Conservation, enabling them to manage the 1271ha Otanewainuku Conservation estate, in partnership with the Department of Conservation.

In 2001 Te Puke Forest & Bird initiated the project to protect Kiwi in the Otanewainuku Forest. (In the hills behind Te Puke) The Trust is to:

- Conduct surveys to identify the location of Kiwi in the forest.

- Undertake predator control to protect the existing Kiwi population, and allow an increase in numbers through successful breeding.

- Carry out educational programs with schools and the local community.

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