KEY POINTS:
Rangers in Nelson Lakes National Park are puzzling over the discovery of a "mystery kiwi" which may be the chick of a kiwi killed in a flood two years ago.
Department of Conservation rangers were surprised to find the kiwi on the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project mainland island during routine checks and changes of radio-transmitters.
The adult-sized great spotted kiwi was found sheltering in a burrow with another kiwi that had been transferred to the mainland island project last year.
"We were radio-tracking adult kiwi transferred to the project area in 2004 and 2006," project team leader Paul Gasson said.
"The first kiwi we pulled from the burrow had no radio tag or identifying marks. Weighing in at 2.5kg, it was the size of an adult male, but with glossy dark legs and claws it looked more youthful than any of the other adults we handle."
Mr Gasson believed the mystery kiwi may have hatched in the Rotoiti Nature Recovery area during late 2005.
"Our radio-tracking work told us that a pair of kiwi nested in this area during late 2005. Unfortunately the nesting attempt was followed by tragedy when the mother - named Rameka - was killed in a flood that washed through her breeding territory in early 2006. Rameka's carcass was recovered, but no chick was ever found."
Mr Gasson said DNA testing may be used to confirm the parentage of the newly discovered kiwi, and may also be used to show the sex of the bird.
"The new kiwi may yet prove to be a female, as females grow bigger than males, and we do not know if he or she has finished growing."
The new kiwi was found sharing a burrow with an adult female who was released in the project area last year.
"But we do not know whether these two will soon become a breeding pair, or whether they are just friends."
Sixteen adult great spotted kiwi were transferred from Kahurangi National Park to the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project mainland island during 2004 and 2006, with support from the Bank of New Zealand Save the Kiwi Trust.
Three kiwi chicks - including the latest discovery - are known to have hatched since the project began.
- NZPA
