BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust

Tiny new arrival at Rainbow Springs

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:41:00 GMT

Kiwi Encounter Kiwi Husbandry Manager Claire Travers says, "Chicks usually average at least 340g so this one is quite small. The chick needed help to break out of its shell, which is quite an exhausting and long task, but apart from that it's fit and healthy."

Claire adds that the chick's weight has dropped to only 187g since it hatched, but this isn't of concern.

"It's quite normal for the weight of newborn chicks to decrease, this is due to the chick getting its nourishment from the yolk which it internalises in the egg during development. The chick has just begun eating on its own and will soon start piling on weight.

"The chick is doing really well and is a favourite with everyone."

And it was a real family affair incubating the egg. It's dad Tika's first egg and after mum Ahi laid it, he refused to sit on it so granddad incubated the egg until it hatched.

The new chick is part of the captive breeding programme at Rainbow Springs and will remain at the park for public viewing.

Kiwi Encounter would like to acknowledge, as always, the ongoing support of BNZ Save the Kiwi trust. All Kiwi Chicks big and small need a “ kick start” in life and thanks to the BNZ and Kiwi Encounter chicks are able to get that.

Rainbow Springs, Fairy Springs Road, Rotorua.

For further information or to arrange an interview contact:

Kiwi aversion training for dogs - Dargaville

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:44:37 GMT

Design the Cover of Our Annual Report

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:47:13 GMT

Every year we prepare an annual review to say what we're about, what we aimed to do, and what we actually did. This year we ran a competition for school students, aged between 12 and 18, to design the review's cover.

Congratulations to Ashley Maher of Mahurangi College! Her design was chosen to grave the front cover.

Her school enjoyed a highly entertaining visit from the Bugman, plus she has received a basket full of kiwi goodies, including kiwi chocolates, books, a drink bottle and a gift certificate so she can shop online at Kiwi Shop.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Junior Technician for the Centre for Wildlife Management and Conservation

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:20:58 GMT

The role will be supervised by the senior technician (CWMC) and involve:
• Animal husbandry at our captive animal research facility
• Assisting with logistics of field trials
• Participation in a number projects with researchers
• Maintaining equipment for field and laboratory use

The skills required:
• Knowledge of animal husbandry and animal handling techniques is desired
• An appreciation of animal ethics and humaneness
• Some experience with traps, poisons, radio-collars, field work, biodiversity monitoring
• Practical ability to help extend and maintain our captive animal research facility
• High level of physical fitness, and acumen for field work

The applicant should have:
• Degree in wildlife management, ecology or equivalent work experience in wildlife management
• A full NZ drivers license
• Experience driving off-road vehicles and quad bikes would be an advantage

The position will be full time and based at Lincoln University. Some travel around NZ is necessary.

Applications Marked 'Confidential' or enquiries to:

o Email CharlesEason@lincoln.ac.nz">CharlesEason@lincoln.ac.nz
o Phone 021 224 0028

Closing date for applications is 30th Nov 2011.

Student kiwi project puts more great-spots into the Nina valley

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:57:43 GMT

Tim Kelly, the Hurunui College teacher responsible for the project, says about 40 students have been carrying out extensive predator control work in the area for the last four years.

“Initially we were preparing the valley for the introduction of kiwi in 2010,” says Kelly.

“Since then we’ve had birds to protect, so our work has become even more rewarding and urgent. Our focus has been to get rid of the main kiwi killers – stoats.”

“The stoat control also has a positive impact on the valley’s other vulnerable species such as blue duck/whio, kākā and kea.”

Hurunui College started the project in the Nina valley after DOC biodiversity ranger, Malcolm Wylie, visited the school. The students and community then set up the Nina Valley Restoration Group involving students, parents and teachers from Hurunui College.

Support from BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust and Kids Restore New Zealand, a programme under the Air New Zealand Environment Trust, as well as generous local businesses, has been crucial for the project.

Kids Restore New Zealand spokesperson, Ruud Kleinpaste, says the Nina valley restoration project shows exactly what young New Zealanders can do to help restore our biodiversity.

“They've got the tools, the know-how and a fabulous commitment to improve their environment," he says.

Executive Director of the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust, Michelle Impey, is impressed by how much the students have achieved.

“These students have achieved an extraordinary amount. If other schools did a fraction of Hurunui College’s pest control work, what a different environment we would have for the protection

Northland Kiwi Hui

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:20:51 GMT

The programme for the day will include an update on predator control issues, monitoring, dog advocacy, kiwi/egg first aid, kiwi probe/feathers/poo/footprint identification and launch of recently completed kiwi aversion advocacy CD. It will also be your opportunity to see a live kiwi if you haven't yet, as Sparky the kiwi and Robert Webb from the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre will be attending.

A final agenda will be sent out closer to the day.

For catering and organisational purposes, or for further information, please contact Clea Gardiner, Northland Regional Kiwi Co-ordinator.

Email: cleaandglen@xnet.co.nz

Senior Technician for the Centre for Wildlife Management and Conservation

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:14:33 GMT

The role will involve:

• Managing our captive animal research facility

• Managing the planning and logistics of field trials

• Co-coordinating a number of projects and resources with researchers

• Providing input and guidance on the development of new pest control and animal monitoring tools

• Liaising industry collaborators, landowners and our key stakeholders

• Managing contractors who live-traps animals for the laboratory and assist with field trials

• Maintaining equipment for field and laboratory use

The skills required:

• Knowledge of pest control in New Zealand, animal husbandry, animal handling techniques and biodiversity monitoring

• An understanding of animal ethics and humaneness

• The ability to use traps, poisons, radio-collars and to plan and conduct animal monitoring and control studies

• Practical skills to undertake construction to extend and maintain our captive animal research facility

• The ability to undertake field work with a relatively high level of physical fitness

• Practical field experience in vertebrate pest control and animal monitoring

• The ability to assist researchers with work plan development

The applicant should have:
• Graduate or technical qualifications in ecology, zoology or practical experience in wildlife management or the vertebrate pest control industry

• A full NZ drivers license

• Experience driving off-road vehicles and quad bikes would be an advantage

• Good practical skills and initiative

The position will be full time and based at Lincoln University. Some travel around NZ is necessary.

Applications Marked 'Confidential' or enquiries to:

o Email Charles Eason
o Phone 021 224 0028

Closing date for applications is 30th Nov 2011.

Trust sets new benchmark for kiwi conservation

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:42:02 GMT

The bird was the 100th kiwi to be hatched and released into the wild by the Forest Lifeforce Restoration (FLR) Trust, fast carving out a name for itself as one of the most prolific and successful kiwi conservation initiatives in the country.

It’s marking its sixth season using BNZ Operation Nest Egg, a method which sees kiwi eggs rescued from the wild, incubated in a safe environment and the resulting chicks released when they’re large enough to defend themselves against stoats.

“Normally we’d expect the rearing and release of this many kiwi to take twice as long,” said Michelle Impey, executive director of BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust. “The FLR Trust team have got it down to a fine art and it’s wonderful that some of the chicks released three or four years ago are now breeding themselves – further adding to the population.”

Fifty of the Trust’s 100 kiwi chicks have been released back into the Trust’s Maungataniwha Native Forest, where the eggs came from, and 50 have been relocated to the Cape Kidnappers and Ocean Beach Preserve.

Ms Hunter, a keen and vocal advocate for conservation projects around the world, was installed as the FLR Trust’s patron at this weekend’s event.

The kiwi she released was named after an influential local Maori chief in the 1800s. Karaitiana Takamoana was also the great-great-grandfather of Simon Hall, executive Chairman of food manufacturer Tasti Foods and the driving force behind the FLR Trust.

In addition to the Maungataniwha Kiwi Project the Trust runs a series of native

Win Your Airfares Back

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 02:18:05 GMT

Competition

Win Your Airfares Back

Closes: April 2011

NZ Holiday Card, supporting sponsor of BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust, is offering you the chance to win back your airfares to New Zealand!

All you have to do to enter is upload photos of yourself somewhere in New Zealand holding your NZ Holidaycard, you can upload up to 5 photos below. The best photo will win. Easy!!

See details on their website at www.nzholidaycard.co.nz/user/snap

1,000th Chick released back to the wild

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:34:14 GMT

Born on 24 September 2011, the chick was the 1,000th hatched at Kiwi Encounter at Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park in Rotorua as part of the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust programme.

The release of this precious national icon back to the wild signifies 16 years of dedicated work by the Kiwi Encounter team nurturing eggs brought in by Department of Conservation staff and volunteers from around the North Island.

The chick hatched the day the All Blacks beat France for the first time on their road to victory, and has been named 'Mille' which translates to 1,000 in English. During the six week rugby tournament Rainbow Springs welcomed 2,000 French supporters to the park, the largest number of international visitors.

Now just over four months old the healthy 1077g chick is strong enough to survive back in the forest.

Kiwi Encounter Kiwi Husbandry Manager Claire Travers says, "The chick is absolutely beautiful, nice and plump with gorgeous feathers. She's a great food forager with a penchant for cicada pupa."

Mille was dad Kahu's 25th egg to arrive at the hatchery. Male kiwi are radio tagged for identification because they are the ones that incubate the eggs in the nest. The female leaves the nest once the egg is laid.

Rainbow Springs' involvement in kiwi conservation began in 1995 with the arrival of an orphaned egg and the hatchery has grown over the years to become the largest kiwi hatching facility in New Zealand, successfully incubating and hatching brown kiwi eggs from around the North Island.

"We're