Our Treasures: Safe haven after great kiwi road trip

A message for motorists about the special cargo.

We get very fond of the kiwi in our care here at Kiwi North. They all have their own distinct personalities.

But we know the time will come when they are to move on to other facilities or sanctuaries where they can breed and do their bit to aid in the survival of their species.

Although kiwi do not breed well in them, nocturnal houses play a valuable role in raising young birds and advocating for the protection of kiwi and and our other threatened native species.

The purpose built kiwi travel boxes used for the trip.

Our birds are viewed by thousands of people each year, domestic and international tourists, education groups and our community. All of them leave with a better awareness of why our animals are so unique and what role we can all play in protecting them.

So very early on August 28 we said farewell to Kapua and Puna, along with Sue Pizzey and keepers Annie Kiddie and Emma Doel, as they set off on the long road trip to Otorohanga Kiwi House.

The journey was blessed with beautiful karakia by John Tuakana, from the Ngatiwai Trust.

From Otorohanga Kapua will be released with other birds into a protected area in Taranaki and Puna has a partner waiting for her at Nau Manu, in Waikanae.

But while they had no birds to look after for that day, the keepers did not get to put their feet up!

The enclosure had to have a huge spring clean before the new occupants arrived and it was all hands on deck, including volunteer Tim Hayes and Bree Brockelsby who came in to help. As kiwi are very territorial and their dominant sense is smell, we had to get rid of the scent of Kapua and Puna as much as possible.

This meant replacing the burrow boxes with new ones in different freshly dug positions, and consequently moving and rewiring the burrow cameras. The pond was emptied and scrubbed, the huge big glass viewing windows are now sparkling inside and out, basic maintenance was done and large quantities of new leaf litter were spread thickly over the enclosures' "forest floor".

The smell was amazing, just like walking in the bush.

At 6.30pm that same evening all was in readiness and at 7pm, after a 12-hour day, Annie and Emma returned safely bringing with them the new occupants of our kiwi house, Ben and Jockalene.

These new taonga for Kiwi North and our community, were greeted with a haunting karanga that went out into the night to welcome them as they were carried to the entrance, and blessed with karakia.

Huge thanks to Irish and John, from the Ngatiwai Trust, who came out that evening to join the staff in this welcome. None the worse for their travels, the birds were quickly released into the enclosure straight into a burrow.

As we watched them on the burrow cameras the young male, Ben, came out to explore his new home. It was very exciting to see him for the first time, out and about, exploring every nook and cranny.

Our grateful thanks to the dedicated staff at Otorohanga Kiwi House as it is because of the success rate of organisations such as theirs, where kiwi are bred in outdoor enclosures, that there are birds available for advocacy facilities such as ours where people can actually see them and learn about them.

We must also say thank you to the national Kiwi Captive co-ordinator who juggles an amazing amount of individual birds and their genetic data to manage the breeding programme.

Although always conscious of the huge responsibility involved, we are extremely proud to be able to play our part in the preservation of our unique native wildlife.

Jockalene and Ben will turn 1 in October, so there may be a kiwi birthday party during the school holidays?

As they have already been living together in a nocturnal house in Otorohanga we expect them to settle quickly, and we look forward to getting to know them and introducing them to our visitors.

¦ Allie Fry is director of operations at Kiwi North.