Tamsin Ward-Smith, Team Leader at BSMI said that it is a fantastic milestone for the project, after hard work involving many people.

“It is especially good news after losing two breeding males last year,” Ms Ward-Smith said. Kohu, the oldest male in the reserve was killed by a ferret at his nest in August 2004. His 50-day-old egg was disturbed during the attack and did not hatch. Just before Christmas 2004, another male kiwi, Mohaka, was killed by a dog only 50 metres from his nest site, just 50 metres off a main track.

Makino’s parents, Marama (male) and Iwik (female) paired up in 2003. Their first nest which contained two infertile eggs failed, although this is not uncommon for an inexperienced first attempt. Marama was confirmed re-nesting in early December 2004. DOC Ranger Kahori Nakagawa said that this time Marama took very good care of the two eggs, not leaving the nest till late at night. If a male kiwi does not leave his nest until late, this often indicates that one or both of the eggs are fertile. Kahori felt that this was a very good sign, but it meant some long nights in the bush, waiting for Marama to leave the nest for a break, so the eggs could be checked. When Marama’s nest was checked, it was found to contain two fertile eggs – one approximately 70 days old and the other 40 days old.

“It is such a relief and we are all so happy that the first egg has hatched successfully and Makino is a beautiful healthy little chick, with gorgeous little eyes and funny toenails which are white at the tip,” Ms Nakagawa said.

Kiwi were once numerous in the area but numbers rapidly declined with the loss of forest habitat and arrival of predators like stoats and cats. Since the establishment of the mainland island the 800 hectare reserve has been intensively managed to reduce predator numbers to the point where it is now a suitable place for species like kiwi to be reintroduced.

In 2000, DOC started work on re-establishing a kiwi population at Boundary Stream, releasing young birds into the reserve that had been sourced as eggs from nearby Kaweka Forest Park. The chicks were hatched and reared at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua, as part of Operation Nest Egg, and then released into the reserve when they weighed approximately one kilogram at about three to six months of age.

With North Island brown kiwi the male takes full responsibility for incubating the eggs, which normally take around 80 days to hatch. The male leaves the nest each night for a few hours to feed and then returns again to incubate the eggs. The chicks hatch as miniature versions of their parents and for the first week live off a rich yolk sac stored inside their stomachs. After the yolk has been absorbed, they are ready to leave the nest and are completely independent of their parents, able to feed and find shelter for themselves, although often returning to the nest burrow for the first few weeks.

A tiny transmitter has been fitted to Makino’s leg, so that his/her progress can be followed. At the same time, a feather sample was taken so that Makino’s sex can be determined.

Including Makino, there are now nineteen kiwi living in BSMI. Most of them have reached breeding age, with some young pairs having laid infertile eggs last season. Staff are hoping that as these pairs are now more experienced, their nesting attempts may also be successful.

DOC kiwi information:
Paul Jansen - Phone: (04) 471 3236 or 025 410 026

DOC media liaison:
Jill Hudson - Phone: (06) 869 0468 or 027 495 7031

Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust:
Kieron Goodwin - Phone: (09) 375 1084 or 029 478 4610