Last week, a collaborative group of Enthusiastic Restoration Organisations got together on Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf. They were there to celebrate an inspirational project that commenced almost two decades ago: getting kiwi on the island. 

I remember having many chats with the Late Sir Rob Fenwick and his wife Lady Jennie about making the island predator-free so that these birds (and other species) could be introduced. 

And last week, it happened…  

Ten birds (some the size of a moa!) were carefully taken from a nearby island (Pōnui) and shipped by barge to Waiheke. Pōnui got its kiwi (14 of them) in 1964 and these birds thrived there on the farm and in some forested areas, resulting in a current estimate of 1500 birds. (a huge density!) 

The Chamberlin family looked after them well and allowed Save the Kiwi to muster the first lot of birds and take these to Waiheke. 

It was a huge event with all the important organisations present: Save the Kiwi, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Te Korowai o Waiheke, DOC, the Pōnui Island Landowners and, of course, the volunteers as well as a heap of primary school kids. 

The community made this translocation possible, Mana Whenua celebrated the momentous occasion and hundreds of people arrived to be part of this event.

Over the past few years I have been visiting the Waiheke schools and suggested that the main job for the kids is to keep an eye on people walking around with their dogs. These dogs should be on a lead, no matter their size or cuteness. In an urban area, dogs are the most dangerous animals for kiwi - just one paw on the back of a kiwi is enough to cause internal damage to the bird. Even a gentle, friendly dog's playful nudge is all it takes to break a kiwi's rib bones and puncture their lungs. 

(A kiwi doesn’t fly, therefore they have no keel that holds the rib bones together!) 

The Waiheke Kids are simply the advocates for responsible dog ownership: “keep them on a lead!!” 

    

The kids were also quite innovative in designing the birds’ new “release burrows” 

This shows that Environmental Education has become “cross curricular”, with not just biology and science, but also covering creative writing, story-telling and art 

David Chamberlin (Pōnui Island landowner) revealed the most wonderful experiences of kiwi on their island: “They sometimes wandered into the houses, and made their presence known by putting their beaks through the courgettes”… “They walked over us as we have been sleeping outside and they were our alarm clocks at the wrong time of the day”… 

These translocations are really inspirational and wonderful - and I don’t know if you have followed this trend, but it’s happening more and more: Wellington, Taranaki, Nelson…. Imagine a return of kiwi everywhere!  (Save the Kiwi have this motto: We're on a mission to take kiwi from endangered to everywhere) 

 

Then driven to Te Matuku peninsula, a quiet forest with perfect conditions to recover from the journey and find food. 

In the end, the birds were carefully released in the beautiful burrows. 

They were heard calling the next day at 6pm, indicating they were happy and went about their business in normal fashion. 

I reckon they’ll be just fine there, for the next 30 or 40 years of their life.

LISTEN ABOVE

Pōnui kiwi destined for WaihekeWalking the kiwi to the marae JTBirds were briefly shown to the Waiheke audience by Save the Kiwi Trainers Emma and WillThen driven to Te Matuku peninsula, a quiet forest with perfect conditions to recover from the journey and find food.Kiwi released in forest evening

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