Northland kiwi drowns

File photo / Alan Gibson

The kiwi that survived being hit by a car in Northland has drowned less than a month after she was released into the wild.

Three-year-old Dark Star was released at Tutukaka in July after two months of intensive rehab in Auckland for a broken foot.

Whangarei kiwi ranger Peter Graham said he was going to check on Dark Star's progress last week when he discovered the kiwi had made her way into a blocked-off culvert under a driveway.

"About 15 feet into the culvert, and then the rain's happened and the water's come up and she's drowned in there," he said.

Mr Graham said it was a real disappointment for the local community who helped nurse Dark Star back to health.

- Newstalk ZB