It was a pleasant Wednesday afternoon flight in four Nelson Aero Club aircraft for a first round of flightless birds.
Meticulously gathered from their Kāpiti Island breeding ground, 20 kiwi pukupuku (little spotted kiwi) landed at Nelson Airport from Paraparaumu for the penultimate leg of their translocation to a new residence.
Housed in double transfer boxes weighing up to 15kg, they were collected by Brook Waimārama Sanctuary staff and volunteers on the tarmac and orderly loaded into awaiting chariots bound for the South Island’s largest fenced and pest-free sanctuary where they will be released this evening once darkness descends.
Another 20 kiwi pukupuku are scheduled for release into the sanctuary on 11 May via the same procedure.
Wednesday’s event marks a century since kiwi roamed Te Tauihu (Top of the South), and it is the first attempt to re-establish the smallest surviving kiwi species on the South Island mainland.
Together with its larger relations, the great spotted kiwi and rowi, the kiwi pukupuku used to roam the Nelson area before all three species became locally extinct after the arrival of introduced predators.
The translocation project is a partnership with Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira whose interests encompass both sides of the Cook Strait, Te Tauihu (Top of the South) iwi, the sanctuary, Save the Kiwi, and the Department of Conservation.
It has also had significant support from many people, organisations and businesses, such as Jens Hansen, which set up the Kiwi Establishment Fund in 2022, and Nelson City Council.
Matt Hippolite from Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira says the iwi was proud of Kāpiti Island’s work in reviving the species from near extinction.
“Kāpiti Island is a special place that has enabled kiwi pukupuku and other taonga species to thrive. For Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, it has been an honour to be the kaitiaki of these manu, as their population recovers to a point to start returning them to their whenua,” he says.
Turi Hippolite from Ngāti Koata says welcoming little spotted kiwi back to the South Island is a “momentous occasion”.
“Te Waipounamu is the traditional home for kiwi pukupuku so being the first region to welcome them back to their whenua in almost a century is a privilege.”
Save the Kiwi chief executive Michelle Impey says it is “incredibly important” to see kiwi pukupuku returned to the region.
“It was believed that kiwi pukupuku were gone from most parts of the South Island by the 1930s, so it is a significant conservation milestone to be able to return them to the Nelson area.”
Bringing kiwi to the sanctuary follows the reintroduction of tuatara, kākāriki karaka, and powelliphanta snail in recent years.
Sanctuary ecologist Robert Schadewinkel says welcoming the species is an “incredible privilege”.
“Translocating the threatened kiwi pukupuku is vitally important in helping to sustain and grow their population, and it has to be done extremely carefully to ensure their safety,” he says.
“It has been great to work with the experts at Save the Kiwi, who have considerable translocation experience.
“This project was the vision of the original founders of the sanctuary and marks 20 years made up of thousands of hours of volunteers and staff - past and present - who have created the environment in which kiwi can once again thrive in Nelson.”
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says the release represents a “momentous conservation achievement”.
“I cannot wait to hear the call of the kiwi in our own backyard. It will also be a boost for Nelson’s visitor industry to have kiwi so close to the city and in a natural setting.”
An experienced and accredited kiwi handler and translocation practitioner regulates all aspects of the translocation, including the capture and preparation of the birds on Kāpiti Island.
In accordance with Wildlife Authority permit requirements, the team undertakes various tasks such as banding/microchipping birds, conducting health checks, and collecting samples for disease screening.
Successful translocation is also made possible by handling the birds with care, selecting healthy individuals, keeping the birds well-fed and watered, and minimising stress and overheating during transport and release.
