Kiwi chick recovers from digger encounter

Whisker is released. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A joint effort between the Motu community near Gisborne, and the Kiwi Encounter team at Rainbow Springs has helped save Whisker the kiwi chick.

About three weeks ago the plucky kiwi chick survived being run over by a 13-tonne digger a day or two before it was due to hatch. After being nurtured to health by the Kiwi Encounter team at Rainbow Springs the chick has just been released back to the wild.

Now strong and healthy Whisker has been released into a kiwi creche at the Whinray Reserve in Motu, and in a few weeks time will move to its new home in the bigger reserve, which is predator proof.

The kiwi rescue story began when local land owner Clive Lewis discovered a partially crushed kiwi egg and bundled it up in his jacket. He then drove it to safety at his house, before picking up the phone for help.

He called local Whinray Kiwi Trust volunteer Steve Sawyer who in turn called the specialist kiwi team at Kiwi Encounter who relayed advice over the phone about how to help save the chick.

It called for a 4 hour drive to Rotorua to deliver the partially hatched chick to Kiwi Encounter at Rainbow Springs. Local Amy England plucked her 4-year-old son Cael from daycare for the rescue trip north, ensuring the chick was kept warm along the way.

"When the chick arrived it had a lot of soil around its navel and needed a bit of a clean up, but apart from that it managed to complete the hatch itself and was strong and healthy," said Kiwi Encounter Assistant Husbandry Manager Emma Bean.

"I'd like to commend everyone who helped deliver the chick to us at Kiwi Encounter, calling us and keeping the egg warm was exactly the right thing to do."

Ms Bean said she encouraged anyone who found a kiwi egg to call the Kiwi Encounter team for advice.