It's arrived!
Weighing in at just 173.5g the smallest kiwi chick to hatch at Rotorua's Rainbow Springs Kiwi Encounter emerged from its egg overnight.
Kiwi Encounter has hatched more than 1300 North Island brown kiwi eggs over the years and this latest arrival is the smallest the team has ever nurtured, and is also believed to be the smallest of its species in New Zealand.
"It's very exciting," Kiwi Encounter husbandry manager, Claire Travers said.
"The little chick hatched all on its own overnight and there was a team of very excited staff this morning, one staff member even turned up straight out of bed on her day off, she was so keen for a look."