Our Treasures: Disco the Kiwi swaps Northland coop for Hawke’s Bay wild

Disco the eastern brown Kiwi has been mesmerising visitors at Kiwi North since May 2021. Photo / Supplied

We’re all a bit emotional at Kiwi North at the moment because the time has almost come for our beloved kiwi, Disco, to fly the coop and begin her adult life in the great outdoors.

But as sad as we are to say goodbye, we’re all happy to have spent the past two years getting to know this incredible bird and we are excited for the life and the family we hope she will soon have.

Disco is an eastern brown kiwi, part of a captive kiwi programme aimed at securing and enhancing the population of our endangered New Zealand icon. She is two and a half years old and has been mesmerising visitors at Kiwi North since May 2021.

She will soon be relocated to Maungataniwha Native Forest in northern Hawke’s Bay where she will be released into the wild on the 6120ha property.

Disco’s departure means there will be some changes ahead at Kiwi North. The highly anticipated arrival of two kiwi chicks is something everyone is particularly excited about. They will also be eastern brown kiwi, a male and a female, both about six months, and will arrive some time in June.

In the short space of time between Disco’s departure and the arrival of the new chicks, the nocturnal house will undergo some changes. This will be an opportunity to prepare the habitat and to create a welcoming environment for our new inhabitants.

While this is happening, opportunities for visitors to meet geckos up close and personal will be on offer, with gecko encounters running daily at 11am and 3pm. These will be free with general admission.

Sarah Brill (MConBio, BSc), team leader for Living Treasures, is also thrilled to announce the impending arrival of several new Auckland green geckos and forest geckos. These native New Zealand reptiles have been bred by Auckland Zoo and will be transferred to their new homes here at Kiwi North at the end of May.

Auckland green gecko. Photo / Supplied

Forest gecko. Photo / Supplied

Look a little closer and you’ll see some of our smaller creatures. Invertebrates include slaters, crickets, beetles and locusts for feeding our hungry residents, as well as Auckland tree wētā, stick insects and huhu grubs that have been delighting visitors with their big personalities.

The two huhu grubs were brought to Kiwi North by students at Comrie Park Kindergarten. They discovered the native huhu beetle larvae during their weekly Ngahere programme, in which they learn about conservation and taking care of our natural treasures. These new additions have been named Harry Huhu-Dini and Huhu Jackman.

Comrie Park Kindergarten's Ngahere programme is about conservation and taking care of our natural treasures. Photo / Supplied

We are of course sad that Disco will be leaving us, but our empty-nest syndrome is eased by our excitement for her future. We are also extremely grateful to her because she has been an incredible advocate for her species for more than two years as well as a highlight for thousands of visitors.

Disco will be leaving Kiwi North on Sunday, May 28. The two new kiwi chicks are expected to arrive in June.