18 Oketopa, 2024

In 1999, eight North Island brown kiwi were found unexpectedly in the Ōhope Scenic Reserve. These adult birds were the last of their local population.

The discovery of these kiwi prompted the development of the Whakatāne Kiwi Project, a partnership between the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (then Environment Bay of Plenty) and the Department of Conservation, in conjunction with Te Runanga o Ngāti Awa. Since then, the Whakatāne Kiwi Trust and the Whakatāne District Council have also become partners in the project.

The Whakatāne Kiwi Project is dedicated to the serious effort required to re-establish a thriving kiwi population. And that dedication has seen kiwi in the Whakatāne area go from the original eight birds to now over 300.

Whakatāne kiwi can now be found in all three major reserves: Ohope Scenic, Mokorua Scenic and Kohi Point Scenic. They have also been established on pest-free Moutohorā.

‘Kiwi Wandering’ road signs caution drivers to lookout for kiwi crossing the roads, neighbourhoods now have kiwi probing around in their backyards, and the Whakatāne kiwi are well and truly re-established as a thriving.

This month, the Whakatāne Kiwi Trust sent out an update that showed while the current breeding season was very slow and there have been losses, the manu in the area are still flourishing.

Pea, in the Ōhope Scenic Reserve, near the Fairbrother Loop Track is one monitored male currently incubating and seeming very settled. The hope is that more male will start to incubate soon.

Additionally, on Wednesday, October 9, well-known certified kiwi handlers, Ken and Sue Laurent from the Whakatāne Kiwi Trust picked up the last chick from the national kiwi hatchery for this season and released him into the Kohi Point Scenic Reserve following a karakia from Ngāti Awa kaumātua Charlie Bluett and Mac Kingi.