Kiwi coming back to Taranaki's Kaitake Range

Friday, 9 April 2021

Taranaki Kiwi Trust members Sue Hardwick-Smith and Sian Potier, with Fiona Gordon, of the Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust, lead a hikoi for manu whenua and manuhiri to release the three kiwi into Taranaki’s Kaitake Range.

A vanguard of three adult kiwi have been released into hills near New Plymouth as part of a historic reintroduction of the native birds into the area.

Gordon with one of the kiwis released at Pukeiti on Friday.

Over the next few days 10 western brown kiwi will be released into the Kaitake Range near Taranaki’s famous Pukeiti garden. The range is close to Taranaki Maunga and part of the national park.

The release of the birds was a significant milestone for predator control on the maunga, Tane Manu, of Ngā Mahanga ā Tāiri, told a large audience of manu whenua and manuhiri during the powhiri at Pukeiti on Friday.

“There was lots of work still be done to protect kiwi, and it is a tribute to the Kaitake Conservation Trust volunteers and community who have helped make it possible to release the tāonga in the Kaitake Range,” he said.

Tane Houston, of Ngāti Tupaeā, dedicates a karakia at the powhiri before the release of three western brown kiwi in the Kaitake Range, near Pukeiti Rhododendron Gardens.

* Kiwi footprint found in Pukeiti Rhododendron Gardens for first time in 20 years

* New Plymouth students helping lay the trap for predator control on Mt Taranaki

The kiwi were introduced into the safe haven following intensive trapping and aerial 1080 operations targetting mustelids, rats, and possums, Manu said.

The trio of male and female birds, aged under two years old, were hatched and reared at Rotokare Scenic Reserve Sanctuary, near Eltham.

Much of the work to prepare kiwi for release was due to the late Simon Collins, of Rotokare Scenic Trust, who was a huge advocate for conservation in the community, Tane Houston, of Ngāti Tupaea said.

Fiona Gordon, of Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust, Tane Manu, of Ngā Māhanga a Tāiri, and Sian Potier, of Taranaki Kiwi Trust, at the release of three kiwi near Pukeiti on Friday.

Collin's, who was the trust manager, died suddenly last month.

Due to his and other trust members work there were now 260 kiwi at Rotokare, which enabled more birds to be translocated to other areas in the region.

Volunteers at Kaitake Conservation Trust played a critical role in reducing predator numbers on the Kaitake Range,Taranaki Maunga co-project manager Sean Zieltjes said.

Zieltjes called the trust members “superheroes”.

He said he was proud of the volunteer efforts to bring kiwi back to where they belonged.

“The project’s future work is to keep removing predators and return species, such as toutouwai and wētā, and other invertebrates, back to the maunga.'

Trust volunteers managed 18 trap lines with 100 ferret, and 700 stoat, traps, while another seven lines, with 200 possum traps, are maintained by Taranaki Maunga, he said.

“Collectively this work will ensure the taonga have a safe habitat to thrive,” he said.

Zieltjes said the project would now focus more on eradicating rats from the Kaitake Range now that possum and mustelid numbers were under control.

He called on dog owners to be responsible as kiwi will now be living close to the community.

“We want the community to get more involved in trapping, and begin researching the history of the maunga to get a better understanding of the local environment, and ensure the kiwi survival.”

Kaitake Community Board member Doug Hislop said the Kaitake and Omata communities had got behind the protection of kiwi through trapping in backyards, schools, parks and the Kaitake Range.