‘Momentous moment’: Pukupuku (little spotted kiwi) moved from Wellington to Hawke’s Bay

In a major conservation step, rare kiwi have been relocated to bring new life to a growing population. Photo / Getty Images

By Jazlyn Whales of RNZ

Fifteen of the country’s smallest kiwi have taken flight from Zealandia in Wellington, heading to Cape Sanctuary in Hawke’s Bay, in an effort to grow the national population.

The translocation marks the first time pukupuku or little spotted kiwi have been moved between sanctuaries since their reintroduction to the mainland two decades ago, in a collaboration between Zealandia, local iwi, Cape Sanctuary, Kiwi Recovery and the Department of Conservation.

Pukupuku disappeared from the mainland in the late 1800s, and just five birds remained on Kāpiti Island.

Jo Ledington, Zealandia’s general manager conservation and restoration, said all of the roughly 200 pukupuku at Zealandia had grown from the same group of five birds they had brought over from Kāpiti Island in the early 2000s.

Despite Cape Sanctuary already having more than 40 pukupuku, those birds were all related, which made for less genetic variation. Ledington said the translocation of kiwi from Zealandia would introduce new genetics to the Cape Sanctuary population.

She said Zealandia was proud to be in a position to support other pukupuku populations in New Zealand – and during their time at Zealandia, the birds had inspired thousands of people to care about the rare species.

The kiwi were carefully collected from Zealandia in accordance with Ngāti Toa and Taranaki Whānui tikanga, screened for diseases and fitted with locator transmitters.

They were released into their new home that same day.

Ngāti Toa Rangatira representative and Karori Sanctuary trust board chair, Russell Spratt, said translocations were conservation milestones that reinforced the cultural and spiritual connections between Ngāti Toa, Kāpiti Island and broader conservation efforts.

He said Ngāti Toa Rangatira was proud of the role Kāpiti Island played in the revival of the bird from near extinction.

Terese McLeod, Taranaki Whānui representative and Zealandia’s lead ranger for bicultural engagement, said the birds played “an honourable role for te taiao [the environment] across Aotearoa”.

“Taranaki Whānui are honoured to support and witness the whakakāinga anō [rehousing] of kiwi pukupuku from the sanctuary,” she said.

Hariata Dawn Bennett, the cultural liaison for Cape Sanctuary, Ngāti Mihiroa, called it “a momentous moment for Ngāti Mihiroa and the Cape Sanctuary”.

“It was the moemoea led by the late Hariata Te Ruru Akonga Mohi Baker to receive these kiwi pukupuku. We honour this dream and duty to devotedly care for these taonga.”

– RNZ