Backyard Kiwi release three kiwi
Mt Manaia watched over as three more kiwi were released on Saturday
Philip King welcomed everyone and thanked Melissa and Mick Leahy who hosted the release on their farm at McLeod Bay and over 300 people made a short walk up the hill to sit under a huge pohutukawa.
Leahy Family with Chocolate and kiwi handler Rolf Fuchs
Philip King -Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum Chairman (WHLF)
Todd’s Talk
Todd is an inspired speaker and people listened enraptured to his brief history of kiwi, their physiology and behaviour. Todd explained how we monitor the expanding population here, why they are surviving and what you can do to help the population continue to thrive.
The biggest threat to kiwi chicks are stoats and for adult kiwi – uncontrolled dogs. For those of us lucky enough to live alongside hundreds of wild kiwi it is vital that we manage our pet dogs. As Kiwi numbers swell more of us are seeing kiwi crossing the roads – so keep an eye out when driving at night.
After the ‘Todd Talk’ our 3 kiwi handlers Rolf Fuchs, Bernie Buhler and Todd Hamilton walked amongst the crowd and every one got to see kiwi up close.
Kiwi up close
Chocolate -named by the Leahy family
Donald – (Don) named by BYK Proud Supporters Lynda Lloyd
Ziggy named by BYK Proud Supporters John Fulton, Lynne and Kevin Banton
Supporting the project WHLF
Maintaining a safe habitat with sufficient the food supply for kiwi (and other native species) is the focus for many of the Whangarei Heads Landcare projects.
People from near and far are actively involved in pest and weed control and monitoring. A dedicated core group of locals regularly check traps and bait lines and for special events people come from out of the area to participate too. Martin Hunt updated us on some of the other local Landcare activites – Manaia and Reotahi (Mt Aubrey) pest control and Papakarahi –reforestation and encouraged anyone interested in getting involved to contact martinhunt@farmside.co.nz.
Martin Hunt, Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum
Proud Supporter Lynda Lloyd with Don and Bernie
We were delighted to have Lynda Lloyd Whangarei Top 10 one of our Backyard Kiwi Proud Supporters attend the kiwi release. Our Proud Supporters enthusiasm, interest and financial support is important to Backyard Kiwi, if you would like to become a proud supporter please get in touch with Martin Hunt.
Thanks to:
- Kiwi Coast A fantastic resource and heaps of energy –very exciting to see the trapping network extending up the east coast especially as our kiwi are marching north and west out of the Whangarei Heads peninsula.
- Northland Regional Council Provides ongoing support and encouragement.
- Kiwis for Kiwi For supporting these kiwi releases.
