Feisty young kiwi is making his own way

HE'S AWAY: Pukaha Mt Bruce ranger Darren Page holding white kiwi Mauriora shortly before his release at Pukaha Mount Bruce yesterday.PHOTO/MIKE HEYDON

A rare white kiwi, described as having a "feisty" personality was released into the reserve at Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre yesterday.

Mauriora, one of three white North Island Brown kiwi hatched at Pukaha Mount Bruce, was released into the 942ha reserve following a final routine health check and a karakia by local Maori iwi, Rangitane o Wairarapa.

Pukaha general manager Helen Tickner says the decision to release Mauriora followed consultation with Department of Conversation (DOC) staff and Rangitane o Wairarapa.

"The decision to release Mauriora follows a final routine health check and regular monitoring by DOC staff which concluded his feisty personality and aggressive behaviour would enable him to thrive in the wild and be well equipped to fend off predators," she said.

"Mauriora means 'sustained life' - and he is definitely a kiwi with personality plus. It's only fitting that he be returned into the reserve to breed and live in the wild."

Mauriora, hatched in December 2011, is not an albino but the rare progeny of kiwi that were transferred to Pukaha from Hauturu/Little Barrier Island in May 2010.

He is now nearly 2 and weighs more than 1.4kg. Up until now Mauriora has been in the pre-release enclosure at Pukaha. His sister Manukura, the first of the white kiwi chicks to hatch, is resident in the Kiwi House while brother Mapuna will remain in the pre-release enclosure as he undergoes daily medical treatment for a minor eye problem.

Mrs Tickner says Mauriora's excellent health means it is best for him to be released into the reserve.

"Mauriora belongs to the Pukaha kiwi population and his release will help to build the local population. Unlike Manukura, who is happy and content in the Kiwi House, Mauriora is a go-getter and is happy and content outside."

Mrs Tickner says despite Mauriora's colouring he will face no greater risk than any of the 70 or so other kiwi in the reserve, which has an aggressive pest control programme in place.

"Kiwi predators hunt by smell, so his colour is not an impediment to his survival in the wild," she says. "He has also been fitted with a transmitter on his leg meaning we are able to track his location at any given time."

Chris Lester, DOC's conservation partnership manager (Manawatu/Wairarapa) says the release reflects the great work being done at Pukaha around kiwi conservation.

"Today's release is a definite sign of the successes we're achieving at Pukaha thanks to the support from DOC, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Horizons Regional Council, Rangitane o Wairarapa and the Pukaha Board which helps fund the restoration project to sustain diligent predator control in the forest," said Mr Lester. Bob Francis, chairman of the board at Pukaha agrees.

"At Pukaha our aim is to have kiwi out living wild in the reserve - Mauriora is special because he is a white kiwi, but he needs to be given the opportunity to live free like the other brown kiwi currently in the reserve," he says.

Rangitane o Wairarapa's chief executive Jason Kerehi says "from the very beginning we said that the welfare of the kiwi was paramount. Clearly Mauriora should be free to roam rather than be locked away."