A very late chick has just hatched at Rainbow Springs' Kiwi Encounter hatchery.
Aptly named Tail End Charlie the egg is from Tongariro and was found by Department of Conservation (DOC) staff who were looking for Max, the male kiwi to change his transmitter.
This is the first egg from this particular male kiwi for the season and the 34th egg to be brought in during the season for hatching from Tongariro.
Rainbow Springs' Kiwi Husbandry Manager Claire Travers said that as far as she was aware it was the latest egg to ever arrive at the park during a hatch season.
"It's amazing that we were incubating an egg from the last season alongside two eggs from the start of the new 2016/2017 season. Why it's so late, I'm unsure."