Daniella Hanekom, who gave Hope her name, pictured with Todd Hamilton from Backyard Kiwi. Photo / Supplied
Daniella Hanekom, who gave Hope her name, pictured with Todd Hamilton from Backyard Kiwi. Photo / Supplied
Students at a Northland school have had a kiwi encounter they will be talking about for a long time.
Certified handler Todd Hamilton from Backyard Kiwi brought ‘Hope’ to Parua Bay School on its 150th celebrations before her release back into the wild.
She had been reared by Friends ofMatakohe Limestone Island (FOMLI) in Onerahi, a protected kiwi creche where chicks grow until they’re old enough for release.
Student Daniella Hanekom, 8, bestowed 2-year-old Hope with her name.
She said she felt “happy” and “amazed” to meet Hope, and that she looked “really cool”.
Principal Mark Ashcroft said: “It was incredible for the students to meet a live kiwi up close and find out what we all need to do to help kiwi flourish in our area.
“Very few schools have kiwi living in their neighbourhoods and we consider ourselves very privileged.”
Hamilton held Hope as 130 calm and quiet tamariki gazed at her. Features such as her claws, large ear holes and feathers above her bill were clearly visible.
Hope resting on Todd Hamilton's shoulder, with Parua Bay students gazing at her. Photo / Supplied
Year 7 student Tora Meki was excited to meet a live kiwi.
“I loved her colours - she smelt really weird. I understand how dogs can find them so easily.”
The students learned about how kiwi are thriving at Whangārei Heads, thanks to two decades of kiwi recovery.
“As a community we learnt the hard way that if we did not remove the stoats with quality trapping and careful pulses of 1080, or control our dogs, that kiwi died,” Hamilton said.
“Our local kiwi had dwindled down to just 80 birds. But, thanks to a community committed to pest control and dedicated dog owners, we now have an estimated 1130 kiwi.”
Earlier that morning, a whakawātea performed by Te Parawhau kaumatua Fred Tito welcomed Hope back to the mainland.
“We are close to the milestone of the 200th kiwi to graduate from the island creche. We regard kiwi as our elder siblings. Each kiwi returned to the mainland gives us hope that we can all work together to make things better again.”
