Hidden Valley Holds Key to Rare Kiwi Boost

With just 350 of the Haast tokoeka left, this new project is a critical step in saving the species.

The project, to be undertaken by the Department of Conservation, will involve monitoring of the species found in the remote Arawhata Valley on the west coast of the South Island, says BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust executive director, Michelle Impey.

“At this stage it is unknown how many of the Haast tokoeka kiwi are in the valley, but it is believed to be less than 100 individuals. Monitoring is a vital first step to ensuring their survival, “she says. “DOC has also begun to incorporate these birds into BNZ Operation Nest Egg, a method where eggs are retrieved from nests in the wild, incubated, raised and then returned back into the wild at a predator-safe size.

“This will not only help to boost the numbers of this rare species, but also bring important genetic diversity to the local population.”

This project is just one of numerous kiwi recovery projects around New Zealand which will receive funding from the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust during the coming year.

Every year BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust grants hundreds of thousands of dollars to kiwi conservation projects throughout the country, supporting DOC, community projects, research and monitoring work, and much more.  One hundred percent of donations to the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust go directly toward saving kiwi.

This year, 47 projects - from The Bay of Islands in Northland to Te Anau in Fiordland - will benefit from the $880,000 to be distributed by BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust. Every species of kiwi will benefit, with projects ranging from predator control and habitat restoration, through to education programmes.

This year’s BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust funded projects include:

Northland

Puketi Forest Trust  –  Stoat and feral cat control measures started in 2006 across 5,500 hectares of the forest have reversed the rapid decline in the number of kiwi in the forest and led to a significant increase in population.

Coromandel

Project Kiwi Trust  –  The longest running kiwi community project in New Zealand, it has worked to protect and enhance the kiwi population on the Kuaotunu Peninsula for 14 years. 

Rotorua

Kiwi Encounter  –  This facility incubates and hatches the greatest volume of kiwi chicks under BNZ Operation Nest Egg in New Zealand, with approximately 135 chicks hatched each year.

Lake Waikaremoana, Hawkes Bay

Predator control and habitat restoration to assist North Island brown kiwi.  –  Lake Waikaremoana Hapu Restoration Trust has taken on full responsibility for management of the kiwi project from DOC at the Lake. After successfully restoring brown kiwi to capacity on Puketukutuku peninsula they are now looking to repeat the same formula on Whareama Peninsula on the lake.

Long Island, Marlborough

DOC search for Little Spotted Kiwi with D’Urville Genes  –  Genetic research has identified that Little Spotted Kiwi from D'Urville Island have a distinctive genetic signature not present among any birds on Kapiti Island. A major threat facing the Little Spotted Kiwi is that they are highly inbred, with the Kapiti population having only five founders. Any new genetic material would greatly increase the genetic diversity within the species, and perhaps allow them to better cope with any novel diseases they may encounter. This project aims to catch and sample as many kiwi as possible on Long Island, to try to identify any birds with D'Urville genes, which could be used to bolster the genetic diversity of other LSK populations.

Canterbury

Hurunui College  –  A group of students and adults are entering their second year of active conservation field work, trapping predators to provide a safer habitat for Great Spotted Kiwi in the Nina Valley.

West Coast, South Island.

A research project aimed at increasing fecundity within the population  –  Only one third of pairs are thought to be currently productive. This research will see if increased fertility in soil and more invertebrates on Blumine Island where several pairs are currently living, will trigger renewed/better breeding performance of non breeders.

Several projects throughout New Zealand using BNZ Operation Nest Egg to boost their numbers will also receive funding.

BNZ Operation Nest Egg is a powerful tool to reverse the decline of kiwi. It has successfully incubated, raised and returned more than 1200 kiwi back to the wild where they stand a 65 percent chance of reaching adulthood. Without the programme, only five percent of kiwi reach adulthood. 20 percent survival is needed for a population to grow.

A century ago kiwi in the wild numbered in the millions. Now there are less than 100,000. Some kiwi species are critically endangered. There are only about 300 rowi kiwi remaining.

The main reason for declining numbers of kiwi in the wild is the loss of chicks to predators such as stoats, ferrets, weasels, cats and dogs.

Everyone can play a role in saving kiwi, whether you live near kiwi populations or not by:

• Avoid taking dogs into kiwi areas and never take them into bush areas that are known to have kiwi populations, not even on a leash.
• Not dumping unwanted cats or ferrets in the wild.
• Making a donation to BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust at any Bank of New Zealand store or ATM or online with credit card at www.savethekiwi.org.nz
• Volunteer your time at a local kiwi protection group or habitat restoration project
• If you are a BNZ customer, you can choose a Save the Kiwi EFTPOS card or cheque book, which provides an annual donation to the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust.