Contact Energy's head of sustainability, Kaapua Smith, said initiatives like this were
an important part of Contact's sustainability programme.
"We are pleased to play a small role in educating our youth in Taupō about the
importance of caring for and protecting our native species, including the iconic kiwi.
"It's about instilling a sense of connection between our kids and the natural
environment – and that's an important part of ensuring we're helping to build the next
generation of sustainability champions."
Kiwis for Kiwi's Michelle Impey said the numbers of kiwi in the Wairakei sanctuary
would increase as the school year progressed.
Children generally got three opportunities to interact with the endangered birds – when they first arrived, when kiwi rangers did health checks on them and when they were released into the wild.
The process was built on Operation Nest Egg where eggs were taken from the wild, incubated and hatched at facilities such as the National Kiwi Hatchery before being released into sanctuaries like Wairakei.