The West Coast Wildlife Centre had a few extra friends arrive in time for Christmas this summer.
On December 24th a Haast Tokoeka chick hatched, closely followed by two more on Christmas day, another from Haast and a Rowi from Okarito. The Wildlife Centre must have been abuzz with festive spirit as the chicks are named Eve, Blitzen and Mistletoe.
Three birds arriving for Christmas is pretty cool but Mistletoe’s story is extra special.
DOC BNZ Operation Nest Egg Ranger Iain Graham and his kiwi dog Rein went to work in the Okarito sanctuary looking for a newly hatched chick to put a transmitter on. They tracked into the nest of Mistletoe’s parents and looked in to see who was at home, instead of the chick they expected to find, the parents were still looking after an egg!
Iain reached in to check the egg and a rock fell from the roof of the burrow landing right on top of it!
Iain quickly decided to take the egg out of the bush to the Wildlife Centre where Bridget could patch it up to give it the best chance of surviving. He knew that the technique of using sterilised pieces of pre-hatched eggs and masking tape, had worked for other damaged eggs in the past and he hoped that if he got the egg to Bridget in time she would be able to put it back to together again!
Luckily Iain got to the wildlife centre in time and Bridget’s patch worked its magic, so on Christmas day Mistletoe broke through the masking tape and is now a fluffy healthy chick.
