Edwin Smith, co-ordinator of the Tānekaha Community Pest Control Area releases Hugh the kiwi into his burrow.
Edwin Smith, co-ordinator of the Tānekaha Community Pest Control Area releases Hugh the kiwi into his burrow.
A small Northland community has taken the fight to save the kiwi to heart and has boosted the genetics of its local kiwi population with the release of two new kiwi into the area.
It is hoped that the two new kiwi will find mates amongst Tānekaha's small but growing kiwi population, and produce chicks.
Their fresh genes will help to avoid genetic problems that can be associated with in-breeding of small populations and ensure long-term viability of kiwi in the Tānekaha area, northwest of Whangārei.
The release is the latest in a string designed to boost the chances of the kiwi surviving in Northland and already the efforts are having some success.
Kiwi Coast (Northland) co-ordinator Ngaire Tyson said kiwi were now thriving along the Kiwi Coast, which runs up Northland's east coastline, thanks to the efforts to release more birds into predator-free areas.
"Elsewhere in the country we know that kiwi numbers are declining by about 2 per cent a year. But in the Kiwi Coast numbers are stable or even increasing," Tyson said.
"We know that putting kiwi into predator-controlled areas increases their survival chances and we know from the kiwi call monitoring we do at night that they are stable or increasing up here. We are winning the battle in Northland."
But despite that, more was still needed to ensure the long-term survival of the country's endangered national symbol.
Edwin Smith, co-ordinator of the Tānekaha Community Pest Control Area, was delighted to welcome the two new kiwi into the area.
"More and more locals are telling me about hearing kiwi calling at night on their farms. It is an honour to welcome these two new kiwi into our area and I know our community will keep working hard to keep them safe within our 800ha predator controlled area.
Alma the kiwi ahead of her release into the wild at Tānekaha
"We hope they will boost our kiwi population with many chicks over the years to come."
The two kiwi were named Alma and Hugh by the Tānekaha Community Pest Control group in honour of two longstanding residents Hugh Ellis and Alma Lambert - who had both contributed much to the small farming community.
Hugh and Alma the kiwi were caught just after dawn on Matakohe-Limestone Island by ranger Emma Craig and accredited kiwi handler Todd Hamilton.
After their capture the kiwi were given a health check, weighed, and had their bill length measured to ensure they were in good health and ready to graduate from the island kiwi creche.
Hugh is around 13 months old, while Alma was closer to two-and-a-half years old. As this is getting close to breeding age - and ideally they don't want kiwi breeding in the creche - it was high time for them to graduate and return to the mainland, where they can help boost other populations.
Hamilton led the Tānekaha kiwi release, working from dawn to dusk to not only catch the kiwi in the morning but also ensure they were safely released in the evening, where they were welcomed by 60 keen locals.
"These two kiwi will help boost the genetics of the small, but growing resident kiwi population at Tānekaha where 12 local farmers are working together to control predators and maintain good dog control over 800ha," he said.
Seeing the two kiwi up close at the kiwi release, and being next door to such a successful community-led kiwi project, has inspired neighbouring farmers in the Hukerenui area to start up their own landcare group. Discussions are currently being held with the Northland Regional Council and Kiwi Coast to explore funding and support options to get the project up and running.
"With the Hukerenui farmers starting their own kiwi project, there is a possibility that over the next few years we may be able to link the predator trapping into a combined network stretching over a few thousand hectares. Kiwi can travel large distances to find new mates and explore new territory - this would allow them to do so in safety," Tyson said.
The release was the latest in a string this year designed to boost kiwi numbers in the wild. In May 10 birds were released into restored native forest at Pataua North. Pataua North Landcare bolstered the kiwi numbers in the area with the release of 10 birds into the community's 800ha pest-controlled area.
In line with the Pataua North Landcare Kiwi Translocation Plan, 40 kiwi will be released into the area to establish a founding population with strong genetic diversity.
And in early April 12 kiwi were released into the Pukenui Western Hills Forest. One of the birds went on a walkabout for several kilometres after being released and ended up in the lounge of a house in Maunu before it was picked up by a ranger and taken back to the forest.
As well, a young kiwi was found dead on Kamo Rd in the evening of April 11. That bird did not come from the forest and experts are at a loss to explain where the young bird, which did not have a microchip or leg band, came from.
