International attention for kiwi recovery efforts

Tuesday, 5 December 2017, 7:17 pm
Press Release: Forest And Bird

International attention for kiwi recovery efforts 

Embargoed until 07:00 GMT (18:00 New Zealand) 5 December 2017

Two species of kiwi are on the road to recovery after years of coordinated work to save them, and our other kiwi species would benefit from a similar level of resourcing.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has highlighted the rowi (also known as okarito kiwi) and brown kiwi as international success stories.

The IUCN is up-grading the status of rowi and brown kiwi from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’.

“This means instead of being in serious trouble, these two types of kiwi are no longer at such a high risk of extinction” says Forest & Bird Chief Conservation Officer Kevin Hackwell.

“It’s great to have international recognition for all the hard work throughout the country helping these species to recover.”

Rowi have increased from only 160 individuals in 1995 to 450 adults today, and managed brown kiwi populations are growing by over 2% per annum, although unmanaged populations continue to decline.

The success is the result of thirty years of coordinated efforts from the government, tangata whenua, and community groups including Forest & Bird.

“The Kiwi Recovery Group has been an incredibly successful and productive model for saving a species. We hope it continues.”

“Other kiwi like the great spotted and some tokoeka species are still in serious trouble,” says Mr Hackwell.

Continued  

Parasites affect Okarito brown kiwi

A group of rare kiwi sent to Massey University's Wildbase Hospital with rashes on their bottoms have been cured of an irritating itch and returned to their island.

However, one bird died during treatment from suspected renal failure and a further eight sent to Wellington Zoo's Nest wildlife veterinary clinic died from what is believed to be a respiratory infection caused by bark in their enclosure.

Fourteen brown Okarito kiwi, known as Rowi, were taken from a predator-free island in the Marlborough Sounds last month after wildlife specialists noticed the birds' bottoms were inflamed with "crusty lesions".

The birds were split between Palmerston North's Massey University Wildbase Hospital and Wellington Zoo's Nest wildlife veterinary clinic.

Wildbase veterinarian Danielle Sijbranda said specialists discovered an "egg" or parasite in the soil had hatched and crawled through the kiwis' skin, causing the sores.

"We did a full range of tests, including samples from the crusty lesions to have a look at what the cause might be," she said.

"Under the microscope we found larvae from worms, so from contact it can crawl under the skin to travel through the body - it's not the normal infection from worms."

Miss Sijbranda said it was incredibly sad some of the rare birds died after clinics went to all efforts to save them - and in unrelated incidents. Early autopsy findings of the kiwi at Wildbase indicated it died of renal failure.

Last Friday the remaining kiwi were taken to Wellington and released by the Department of Conservation on their island.

"We have got some positives out of this, we've learnt more about the parasites now," she said, "so we can set up a preventative programme for the kiwi that live on the island."

There are less than 400 Okarito brown kiwi nationwide.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/9238585/Parasites-affect-Okarito-brown-kiwi