For Darren Peters, saving the kiwi isn't just about helping them, it also tells us something about ourselves.
"These things are indications of our own health. What does it tell us about ourselves if we can't look after these species that help the whole ecosystem work, so we've got to look after them."
Peters' work with kiwi conservation earned him a Good Egg award from the inaugural Kiwi Awards held in Lyttelton last week. Peters, a Department of Conservation technical adviser, has helped projects across the country including Northland, Coromandel, Taranaki and in the Ruahine area which saw him recognised along with several others.
Peters said a number of community groups had helped kiwi numbers come back in force in the Ruahine area.
"They were on their last legs when we started up there and we were fortunate to get on to them in time before they disappeared altogether."