Kiwis league team meet their namesakes

New Zealand Kiwi League player Adam Blair with Auckland Zoo keeper Claire Cameron and a six day old Kiwi chick. Photo / Greg Bowker

Members of the New Zealand Rugby League team met their namesake at Auckland Zoo today as part of a wider campaign to raise awareness for endangered kiwi birds.

Four Kiwi players met the zoo's newest chicks, the youngest six days' old.

"It was a different experience, I couldn't believe how fragile they were," said Kiwis prop Adam Blair.

The Save Kiwi Month campaign, held by the Kiwis for Kiwi Trust, included awareness raising events throughout October.

Kiwis for Kiwi executive director Michelle Impey said it was more important than ever to drive awareness for the endangered species.

"The reality is that unless we do something about it now, within a couple of generations of humans [kiwis] could be completely extinct."

She said having the New Zealand league team involved was beneficial in raising awareness.

"It really helps when prestigious people get involved ... but it is also about getting all New Zealanders involved."

The players were given an "eye-opening" briefing on the current statistics for the endangered species, and the link between the league team and the flightless bird hit home with some players.

"If we didn't have the kiwi bird, what would our team be called?" said Blair.

Kiwis hooker Issac Luke said the link between the bird and the team was important.

"It's awesome to have a great meaning behind it ... not only for our jerseys but for our country too," he said.

Kiwis for Kiwi Trust, which has been running for 12 years, has made some improvements for the kiwi population.

"There was a 4 per cent losing rate of kiwis per year during the 1990s, and we are now at 2 per cent per year ... so there has been progress," Ms Impey said.

The New Zealand Kiwis will travel to Whangarei this weekend to take on Toa Samoa in the Four Nations competition on Saturday.

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Statistics on kiwi birds:

- About 70,000 kiwis currently live in New Zealand.

- 95 per cent of kiwi chicks don't survive to breeding age (three or four years old)

- About 27 kiwi birds die each week

- 2 per cent of the kiwi population dies each year

- With predator control, 50 to 60 per cent of kiwi birds can survive to breeding age