Staff from Bank of New Zealand’s Taumarunui and Waikato teams went from the bank to the bush last Saturday 24th May to see the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery programme in action.

DOC Rangers accompanied the bank staff into the Tongariro Forest where they released two Operation Nest Egg kiwi chicks into the wild.  Operation Nest Egg is one of a range of tools used by the Department of Conservation with support from the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust, in the fight to save kiwi from extinction.  Tongariro Forest is one of five kiwi sanctuaries nationwide that are developing integrated pest management and species protection techniques with the ultimate goal of making forest areas safe for kiwi and other native plants and animals to reproduce and survive sustain ably. 

“Together with the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust, we are looking forward to working with local communities to help kiwi thrive in their natural habitat.” says DOC ranger Mike Brown.  “We are achieving some good things in the kiwi sanctuary but still have a long way to go.  We hope that planned stoat-trapping and on-going dog training and education for forest users will make a difference for kiwi over the next few years.”

The two kiwi that were released on Saturday – Jill and Ross - both come from parents living in the Tongariro Forest and have spent approximately six months at Warrenheip, near Cambridge, learning to fend for themselves in the wild and gaining weight without having to fight off predators.  Ross’ dad, Tahi is the very first bird monitored in Tongariro Forest, he has been radio tracked continuously since kiwi monitoring began in 1992. Jill’s parents Doug and Lass are the sanctuary’s most prolific breeders – producing approximately four Operation Nest Egg chicks per year.

Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery’s Operation Nest Egg programme is an interim measure to slow the decline of the kiwi population by taking eggs from the wild, hatching them in incubators at Rainbow Springs, Rotorua and raising the kiwi chicks in a safe, predator free environment at Warrenheip, until they are large enough (approx 1200grams) to defend themselves against stoats.  Operation Nest Egg buys time for stoat control techniques to be improved, by reducing the 95% death rate of juvenile kiwi in the wild.

DOC kiwi information:
Paul Jansen 04 471 3236 or 025 410 026

DOC media liaison:
Katrina Knill 07 892 3729

Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust:
Kieron Goodwin, ph: 09 375 1084 or 029 478 4610

The Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust was established in November 2002 by the Bank of New Zealand and the Department of Conservation, building on an 11-year sponsorship relationship.  The Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust is responsible for public awareness and education, fundraising, sponsorship and grant allocations for kiwi recovery nationally.