Two kiwi will be returned to Tutukaka on the Kiwi Coast next Wednesday – all welcome!

If you have never seen a live kiwi up close this is an opportunity you wont want to miss!

Come along to Tawapou Coastal Natives, 606 Matapouri Rd on the Tutukaka Coast at 6pm on Wednesday November 5th  to see live kiwi released to boost the local population.

These kiwi were hatched by their dads in the Whangarei Kiwi Sanctuary reserves near Purua, then taken as chicks to Matakohe-Limestone Island – a predator-free kiwi crèche in Whangarei Harbour. On the island the kiwi chicks roam safely until they reach a key weight of 1200 grams. At this size, kiwi can fight off most predators apart from large feral cats, ferrets and dogs, and can be returned to pest controlled areas. There will be a special ceremony as the kiwi return to the mainland at 9am in front of the Onerahi Yacht Club.

At 6pm, the two kiwi will arrive at Tawapou Coastal Natives where Todd Hamilton from the Backyard Kiwi project will talk about kiwi and what it is that makes them such a unique bird. Mike Camm will also talk about the Tutukaka Landcare Coalition and the hard work that has been undertaken for more than a decade to make the area safer for kiwi and a good place for these kiwi to spend the next 50 years or so.

Todd is a trained kiwi handler and he will ensure the two wild kiwi remain comfortable during the event and that they do not become stressed. At previous kiwi releases, there have been ample opportunities for people to see kiwi up close, take photos and gain a deeper understanding of our truly remarkable national icon.

The kiwi will then be transported to their release site where they can quietly slip away…

This kiwi release has been made possible by the hard work of the three community-led projects – Friends of Matakohe-Limestone Island, Backyard Kiwi and the Tutukaka Landcare Coalition. Funding has been provided by the Kiwis for Kiwi Trust and the Kiwi Coast.

For more information contact ngaire@kiwicoast.org.nz