During the 2022/2023 nesting season, we received funding from the World Wildlife Fund NZ and the Tindall Foundation for rearing from six eggs, and a further funding for four eggs in the 2023/2024 season. Our thanks for their help.
The first chick ’Pip’, a female, was released into the Kaweka Forest Park in January 2023.
As a result of cyclone Gabrielle which compromised the predator proof fenceline, chicks in the kiwi crèche had to be relocated. Deb (ECOED) and Tamsin (Save the Kiwi) managed this huge task, given that access to the Kaweka Forest Park was only possible from the Lakes area.
A second chick ‘Tawaki’ was released in March along with five other chicks. David had the invaluable help of Dave Coe, Pan Pac Forest Operations Coordinator. Dave has helped our project previously with kiwi release and with blackberry control at the kiwi crèche. Dave is ‘stoked’ to be part of this project, and we thank him for his contribution.
A kiwi chick about to go free into the Kaweka FP
Pan Pac does predator control in its forests (animals and pests that impact the whole forest environment) as well as control of pests that impact kiwi. The pest control in the Lakes, Kuripapango area is contracted by Pan Pac and the trap lines there are checked every two weeks in the summer, and every four weeks during the winter. Dave says they are killing a lot of rats, stoats and weasels, but thankfully no ferrets.
Dave (Pan Pac) and David (volunteer ECOED) translocating kiwi
In late May, David and Deb did another trip into the Kaweka Range, this time to release two female kiwi chicks named ‘Manapouri’ and ‘Stang’. Both were reared at the Westshore Wildlife Reserve. A third female chick ‘Noke’ was also released in the Kaweka Range by another volunteer crew, Robyn and Barrie.
One chick called ‘Smartie’ remains at Westshore; this was from a late egg for the season and should be ready for release in about six weeks.
You may be wondering how we name the kiwi chicks, but that is another story.
Leave a Reply