Pistachio, the first kiwi to be bred at Otanewainuku Forest, is thriving after being released back into the forest in November.
The little brown kiwi was hatched in March 2013, after a fertile egg was discovered in the forest by Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust volunteers
She spent her first three years in a predator-free private Warrenheip Creche Sanctuary in Cambridge before managing to lose her transmitter and evading capture for six months.
She was eventually recaptured in October 27 last year with help of conservation dogs.
Long-time volunteer and trust chairman Hans Pendergrast said Pistachio and the other kiwi were monitored at least every 1-2 weeks to check they were still in the forest, and to ensure they had not lost their leg transmitters .
Mr Pendergrast said unless there was good reason to recapture the kiwi, they were left alone to feed and breed, and the signs were good Pistachio and the others were thriving.
Since Pistachio's return to the forest in November, another kiwi had also be released into Otanewainuku meaning the current population was 17 birds.
That included up to five breeding pairs which was a big advance from when the trust first began releasing kiwi into the forest, Mr Pendergrast said.
"Last year we collected two viable eggs which were taken to our Rotorua hatchery and the eggs have since hatched, and the chicks were transferred to the Warrenheip creche.
"They will stay in the creche until they at least weigh 1.5kg and are healthy enough to release into Otanewainuku."
Mr Pendergrast said the trust had several kiwi releases into the Otanewainuku planned for this year and hoped to collect more viable eggs during the next breeding season.
The ultimate goal was to eventually release 100 kiwi into the forest, and the ideal number of breeding pairs would be at least 50, he said.
Some facts about Kiwi
Start breeding at about 2
Adults can live between 40-50 years
Females weigh 2.5kg-3kg
Males weigh 1.8kg-2.2kg.
Don't mate for life, but likely to
spend many years with same mate
Often remain in same territory for years
Source: Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust