Napier: National Aquarium’s solo kiwi to be rehomed

Matariki the kiwi, a star of the aquarium in Napier, is moving to a new home. Photo / NANZ

The National Aquarium of New Zealand’s only kiwi, Matariki, is set to be moved to a new home to live with a mate.

The kiwi will leave the Napier aquarium’s nocturnal house - a major attraction at the council-owned facility - at the end of this month and two new kiwis will take her place in August.

Matariki, a female North Island brown kiwi, turns 3 in November and has been living alone in the aquarium’s kiwi enclosure for the past 17 months.

A kiwi expert says it is not unusual for a juvenile kiwi to live a solitary life in the wild until they become an adult (around the age of 3), and Matariki won’t have been hindered by spending most her life alone to date.

National Aquarium of New Zealand general manager Rachel Haydon said Matariki will be moved to another Napier City Council-owned site in Hawke’s Bay, near Westshore, at the end of this month.

“Matariki has been paired with a suitable male, as part of the Zoo and Aquarium Association North Island brown kiwi breeding programme, and is moving to an off-display outdoor habitat,” she said.

“After Matariki moves out, work will begin on the habitat, including soil replacement and new plants, and then two young kiwi will be introduced in August.

“There will be a short period where the habitat is not visible while the birds settle in.”

Matariki has lived in the aquarium's popular nocturnal house since mid-2022. Photo / NANZ

Matariki has been in the enclosure since June 2022 and initially joined a male kiwi, Koha.

“However, over time Matariki - as a female [she is] the larger gender of this species - was consuming more than her fair share of the diet, and the decision was made to separate them for the welfare of both in February 2023. It is normal practice for juvenile kiwi to be solo in a habitat.”

Leading kiwi expert John McLennan said North Island brown kiwi usually pair up once they reach adulthood.

“About 3 years old, or a bit younger if they are a boy, from there on they usually pair up and create these long-lasting pair bonds and they can go for years and years and years.

“Some of the kiwi can remain with the same partner for 20 or 30 years or even longer.”

He said for a juvenile, it was not unusual for them to be solitary in the wild and they largely travel around alone.

There are five species of kiwi. The North Island brown kiwi is the only species found in the North Island and they can live to be 50 years old.

Matariki was the eighth kiwi to be housed at the aquarium’s nocturnal house, established in 2003.

The aquarium works with the Zoo and Aquarium Association and the Department of Conservation in its captive breeding programme.

Kiwis raised at the aquarium are eventually housed in other breeding facilities, nocturnal houses, or released where appropriate.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.