A kiwi that survived being run over by a digger while still in its egg has recuperated and been released into a reserve near Gisborne.
Whisker the kiwi chick was found by a landowner partially crushed when a 13-tonne digger ran it over a day or two before it was due to hatch.
Clive Lewis found the egg and called the local Whinray Kiwi Trust, which sought advice from Kiwi Encounter at Rainbow Springs.
The egg was kept warm for the four-hour journey to Rainbow Springs in Rotorua.
Kiwi Encounter assistant manager Emma Bean said by the time Whisker arrived at Rainbow Springs it was almost completely hatched from its egg.