Whangārei's kiwi population set to swell with more released this weekend

Pukenui Forest rangers Bevan Cramp and Ben Lovell check the microchip in the kiwi chick before its release. Photo / Tania Whyte</note>

The kiwi bird population is set to swell by a further 20 on the Whangārei mainland this weekend with the biggest release of the year starting off the season.

Sixteen kiwi will be released into Pukenui Forest on Saturday joining the colony of up to 100 already living in the 2000ha Western Hills area.

In addition, Backyard Kiwi are bringing up to five kiwi from Matakohe/Limestone Island for release into Whangārei Heads on Sunday.

The Pukenui Forest Trust are inviting the public to Saturday's release ceremony held at Whangārei Intermediate, one of the schools bordering the forest, at 1.30pm where names will be announced for the latest additions.

There have been three translocations from Moturua Island over the last three years, including an "emergency release" of 16 last year, following lockdown, due to the drought-stricken island sanctuary. This weekend's release has also been brought forward because of drought conditions. Further hatchlings have brought the estimated population to sit between 80 and 100, said Pukenui Forest Trust administrator Trish Clarke.

"This is the fourth translocation of kiwi into Pukenui and another milestone in setting up a sustainable breeding colony close to the city. At nearly 2000ha, Pukenui Forest, along with the Western Hills that border Whangārei city, is a large and very challenging forest."

The translocations followed 10 years of an intensive pest-control programme. Released kiwi are monitored for three to six months before their monitors are either removed or they kick them off themselves, said Clarke.

"Pukenui has more intensive monitoring than other areas as it is a non-fenced kiwi sanctuary that is the closest to a large city in all of New Zealand so it is important we all do our bit to keep the kiwi and their chicks safe. Kiwi have wandered into people's gardens in the past. In fact, even into a Maunu resident's home in Ngahere Drive."

Pukenui ranger Bevan Cramp highlighted the fact that kiwi move massive distances early in their release.

"When kiwi are still new arrivals they are moving around far more than usual looking for suitable territory to settle down in, which may explain why the kiwi are found wandering around the fringes of the city."

He added that it is important that dog owners keep their pets leashed around the forest perimeter where they are prohibited.

Saturday's release, following the ceremony, will be from both Three Mile Bush Rd and Maungatapere areas – opposite ends of the forest to reduce territory competition. People are invited to attend the release at Karanui Estate off Three Mile Bush Rd.

Meanwhile, the following day, Backyard Kiwi is bringing around five kiwi from Matakohe/Limestone Island to release at Whangārei Heads.

Backyard Kiwi project manager Todd Hamilton said they will begin to capture the kiwi at 7am Sunday ready to bring over to the mainland for a blessing in which locals are invited to join at 11am.

"We will get one kiwi out for a look but it's not a cuddle a kiwi time, more an educational engagement and our target audience are our locals."

Backyard Kiwi's Todd Hamilton said Sunday's event is about educating locals. Photo / Coen Cramer

He explained that the kiwi were brought from Purua, where the population is thriving, at 10 days old and placed on the island as a "holding pad" until they were large enough to fend off the likes of stoats which is usually between six and 12 months old. There are currently 40-plus kiwi living on Matakohe/Limestone Island.

"Purua has got a good, healthy population. In the old days, they would have walked but now we've got a city in the way."

He said that since this stepping stone transition had begun, the population at Whangārei Heads had risen from 80 to 900.

"This is mainly through stoat control, trapping and poisoning. But all that doesn't matter if people don't tie their dogs up, then the kiwi population declines. The biggest threat to kiwi in Northland is uncontrolled dogs."

Dogs are highly attracted to the scent of kiwi, and even without being aggressive they can cause fatal injuries to kiwi. As kiwi have a very weak chest structure, a gentle squeeze by a dog can kill a kiwi.

However, he said Whangārei Heads' locals seemed to have good dog control.

"We wouldn't have the 900 kiwi if we didn't have the good dog control at Whangārei Heads."

The kiwi released onto Limestone Island were ID chipped. However, two weeks before being transported to the mainland, they were fitted with transmitters after a professional kiwi tracker dog was brought onto the island. The transmitters remain in place for several weeks following their release at Whangārei Heads to indicate whether it had been a success. The only other dog allowed on Matakohe-Limestone Island is a stoat dog which carries out an "audit".

Locals are also invited to attend the release at Parua Bay following the annual event at the Onerahi Foreshore.