Kiwi Happenings Update March/April 2012

Unfortunately we have had 3 kiwi deaths in March. A young kiwi drowned in a wed covered goldfish pond at the Nook, and an adult bird also drowned in a water filled gut at Taurikura – if you have a pond on your place check that it has exit point or way out for any birds that may end up in it.

The young kiwi that was being treated at the Native Bird Recovery centre after losing a toe to a ground set possum leg hold trap died of a fungal infection (please make sure anyone using these traps on your property sets them 70cm or higher off the ground!!!!). The kiwi had been named “Good Night” by the residents of Timperley Road , his toe had healed and he was about to be returned when he became sick and died.

The silver lining to these 3 deaths is that they were all “wild” kiwi which is a good indication that our stoat trapping to protect chicks is working.

The monitored kiwi are all doing well and the data streams from their transmitters are showing high activity as the kiwi fatten up for the upcoming breeding season. See report on their activity, below, or click to see a map of the most recent recorded locations of the monitored kiwi.

· Jackie’s Boy – getting up at 6pm and active for 10.5 hours on average.

· Darwin – up at 7pm and active 10 hours

· JR- up at 8pm and active 10 hours.

· Waka- up at 7pm and active 11 hours.

· Charlotte- ok – travelling about a bit at Mckenzie Bay-watch out for her crossing the road.

· Lambert- up at 8pm and active 9.5 hours – he is due his 6 monthly check but is hiding deep in the pampas at Taurikura Ridge.

· Whitu- up at 6pm and active 9.5 hours

· Charlie- up at 6pm and active 12 hours

· Dallas- was nesting next to the School but his activity steadily increased after 30 days of nesting from 3 hours per night up to 7 hours and he left the nest after 40 days – probably an infertile egg. He is now active 11 hours per night.

· Ngakau- after being released at Hunt’s he has travelled Taurikura ridge and walked into Bream Head – he is currently way over at “Cabbage Tree Flat” by the Old Woman headland making it very hard for Pete and Cathy to get a signal from his transmitter.

 

 

Map of Monitored Kiwi – March 2012