Two surprise kiwi pukupuku (little spotted kiwi) chicks have been lifted from the recently rediscovered population in Westland in the South Island.
Announced in July, the rediscovery of kiwi pukupuku in the wild on mainland New Zealand shocked and delighted conservationists and mana whenua Ngāti Māhaki.
At the time, only one kiwi pukupuku was confirmed in the remote Westland wilderness area, but now the Department of Conservation (DOC) can reveal a small breeding population of the birds is present. Just nine birds have been located to date.
DOC Ranger Project Lead Iain Graham says rangers have been building their understanding of the population and monitoring the known birds.
"Because it's such a critical population, we've been monitoring them during breeding season, something we don't usually do.
"The team went in to check on the kiwi pukupuku and came across two chicks in a nest. It was quite a surprise to them; they were expecting to find a couple of eggs and ended up seeing two little chicks staring back at them!"
"The chicks are each less than 200 grams, so tiny, and just the perfect early Christmas present for everyone involved."
"We have carefully transported them to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch where they can grow and develop in a safe environment."
On the way to Christchurch, the two chicks had a brief stop to meet members of hapū Ngāti Māhaki.
Kara Edwards, Pouārahi (Chief Executive Officer) of Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio, Ngāti Māhaki, says the experience of holding a chick was overwhelming.
"We feel incredibly lucky to have a precious taonga in our midst, we're thrilled they have survived in our whenua, and our goal is for them to thrive here."
"There's a lot to learn from such a newly rediscovered population, but our hope for the future is to see these manu thriving on the mainland, and especially in South Westland."
Two eggs from another nest have also been lifted for safe incubation at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.
As the smallest of the kiwi species, kiwi pukupuku are particularly vulnerable to predation, taking 2-3 years to reach a 'stoat-safe' weight. Raising chicks in a predator free environment is a proven method for assisting kiwi population growth.
Iain says the future looks bright for kiwi pukupuku.
"We've now found nine individual birds in South Westland, including two sets of breeding pairs.
"The team will continue to look for more birds to determine the full extent of the population.
"We're expanding our search area and considering the best options for long-term conservation of this special kiwi pukupuku population.
"It's remote, so we're relying on helicopters to get us into the backcountry. We really appreciate the support from Willowbank Wildlife Reserve so far in helping us continue this important work.
"We know lots of people want to help, and in the theme of 'always be naturing', people can get involved and contribute directly by donating through the New Zealand Nature Fund website," Iain says.
Until early this year, kiwi pukupuku were thought to be entirely extinct on mainland Aotearoa, having not being seen in the wild for nearly 50 years. All remaining birds were believed to only survive on pest-free offshore islands.
An estimated 2000 of the threatened birds remain with the population increasing due to the efforts of community groups, agencies and tangata whenua.
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