Rowi Project Blog

From right to left: Me, Lynda, Duncan, Jools, a big bucket full of money and Sarah.

Topp Twins add humour and sparkle to rowi story
14 January
The start of 2011 saw kiwi icons the Topp Twins give their supprt for the rowi project at their Blenheim hoe-down. This was a hum-dinger of a show, combining alt-country and bluegrass talent with humour, love and generosity.

Ranger Anna Colombus and the awesome students at Whataroa.

Whataroa School protect kiwi neighbours
21 April
In spring 2010, several young rowi made history by being released into north Okarito forest – an area that they have not been recorded living in for many decades. For the first time in many years, the people of Whataroa have kiwi living almost on their doorsteps – close enough to hear them calling at night! The students of Whataroa School have adopted these young birds and will be involved in recording their progress into the future.

Bridget Wrenn from the West Coast Wildlife Centre, holding the healthy egg.

First egg of the 2011 season!
16 August
The first rowi egg for the new breeding season came from Jack and Roberta (M pair) who live just south of Three Mile Lagoon, north of Okarito township. The healthy egg was 31 days old and went to be incubated at the West Coast Wildlife Centre.

Thank you Linwood College!

Stellar fundraising efforts
23 August
It was nearly a whole year ago that a group of Untouched World students made their way out of the bush, following a successful rescue of a kiwi egg. One enterprising student accompanied the rowi team on that mission – Perry Hyde from Linwood College. Perry went back to his school’s environmental club with the thought of sponsoring ‘his’ little kiwi in some way. They brainstormed and came up with several ideas, eventually settling on a mufti day and tug of war, to raise money for the rowi programme.

Haast ranger Bevan Cameron holds a rowi.

Haast and Franz join forces for kiwi conservation
29 September
Bodiversity assets teams from Franz Josef and South Westland have joined together and become one team. For staff this is exciting as it has resulted in more opportunities to work across biodiversity programmes and get involved in programmes such as pest control, rowi management, the critically endangered Haast tokoeka kiwi management and tawaki (Fiordland crested penguin) monitoring.

LEARNZ field trip teacher Andrew Penny holds a rowi.

Rowi in classrooms across NZ
19 October
In September, over 100 classes from all over the country joined LEARNZ field trip teacher Andrew Penny online to meet and talk with kiwi experts, as well as access a range of internet-based material related to BNZ Operation Nest Egg . 

Anna and the little wild chick.

First wild chick of the 2011 breeding season
27 october
In october, rowi ranger Anna Colombus successfully located the first chick of the season to be monitored in the forest rather than  in captivity. Due to a 1080 operation in the kiwi zone, just prior to the chick-hatching season, we have been able to leave some chicks to grow naturally in the forest.

Smitha and daughter Gauri release rowi 'Dilly' into her new burrow in north Okarito forest.

Rowi rangers’ best part of the year – bringing the birds home!
28 November
November brought the part of the year rowi rangers love best, when they get to bring the healthy young kiwi back home to Okarito forest. Amongst the 15 birds being released were the two rowi named last year by Lynda and Jools Topp – ‘Pongo’ and ‘Dilly’. The Topp Twins wished their kiwi luck saying “Do us proud girls – go find yourselves a nice Kiwi bloke and multiply!” A fantastic way to round-off our year.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 19th, 2011 at 10:20 am by lizzy and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “Rowi highlights from 2011”

1. lil v. says:

   6 January 2012 at 1:56 pm

   I am a kiwi fan. I’m from AZ, usa, and I found out about these magnificent birds. I am trying to help raise awareness even though we’re far away. I <3 kiwis!