All kiwi species in the North and South Island face extinction
in the next 15 years unless work is done to protect them. Five kiwi sanctuaries
that have high levels of predator control have been established - but more are
needed to ensure some of the last remaining wild populations don't disappear.
95% of kiwi chicks are killed by introduced predators such as stoats within the first year of life.
Forest & Bird's Kiwis for Kiwi Campaign
The kiwis for kiwi campaign is aimed at saving the kiwi
on the mainland where five species of kiwi occur in the wild: the great spotted
kiwi (roa), North Island brown kiwi, Okarito brown kiwi (rowi), southern tokoeka
and Haast tokoeka. Little spotted kiwi are relatively secure on off-shore islands
but were extinct on the mainland until July 2000 when a small number were released
in Wellington's Karori Sanctuary. This is their first appearance on the mainland
for many decades.
A key objective of this campaign is to secure twelve large
kiwi sanctuaries of 10,000 to 20,000 hectares. Within these areas predator numbers
need to be significantly reduced.
It is logical to select a wide geographical spread and concentrate
on places where kiwi are present and breeding in reasonable numbers.
Forest & Bird has lead a successful campaign in securing
five kiwi sanctuaries so far, covering 43,000 hectares in the following regions:
Northland (near Whangarei); Coromandel (Te Moehau); Central North Island (Tongariro
National Park); Westland (Okarito and Haast).
Forest & Bird is presently campaigning to secure kiwi
sanctuaries in the following regions: Urewera; Taranaki; Whanganui; North West
Nelson; North Canterbury; Buller; Fiordland.
Our members are directly involved in hands-on protection work (such as transfers, monitoring, predator control and habitat restoration) in important areas of kiwi habitat around New Zealand, including: Boundary Stream (Hawkes Bay), Maungatautari (Waikato), Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes National Park, Kahurangi National Park, Taranaki, Otanewainuku (Bay of Plenty) and Rimutaka Forest Park (Wellington).
Achievements
Forest & Bird has succeeded in convincing the Government of the urgent
situation facing kiwi and can take credit for increased conservation funding
and the establishment of 5 kiwi sanctuaries.
Forest & Bird has raised public awareness about the plight of kiwi and
has been instrumental in gaining public support for their protection from
extinction.
The Kiwi Recovery Programme - an initiative of the BNZ, Forest & Bird
and DOC - has hatched a communities-for-kiwis scheme where DOC and community
conservation groups work to keep kiwi predator (stoat, ferret, cat and dog)
numbers low in areas of kiwi habitat on private and public land.
So far there are 13-18 community kiwi care groups (depending on what stage
the organisation is at) protecting kiwi in 20,000 hectares of
native forest (see links). There's room for plenty more of these kiwi-protection
groups throughout the country.
Operation Nest Egg has been set up to get kiwi through their first vulnerable
year. Eggs are taken from kiwi burrows in the wild, incubated and hatched.
The chicks are reared in captivity for about a year until they reach a size
where they can protect themselves from predators. The kiwi chicks are then
released into kiwi sanctuaries.
The Otanewainuku Trust was set up by the Te Puke Branch of Forest & Bird and undertakes
predator control in the Otanewainuku forest to protect the existing kiwi population, allowing an
increase in numbers through successful breeding and re-introductions.
What We’re Doing Now
Forest & Bird members work at Egmont National Park where, under Operation Nest Egg, kiwi are released. Forest & Bird members monitor the existing and released kiwi at the park and keep predator numbers down.
Bushy Park Reserve in Wanganui has a kiwi crèche where young kiwi are raised until they are big enough to fend for themselves against predators. Bushy Park, which is owned by Forest & Bird, is protected by a predator-proof fence and is maintained by members.
Hundreds of members in branches around New Zealand spend thousands of hours in bush areas on pest control work to protect kiwi.
Write to the Minister of Conservation asking that the Government commit
more funding to saving the kiwi by protecting its habitat and controlling
predators (Parliament Buildings, Wellington - no stamp required)
