Rare little spotted kiwi released at Shakespear Open Sanctuary

20 little spotted kiwi (kiwi pukupuku) from Kapiti Island were released at Shakespear Open Sanctuary on March 3.

Twenty new little spotted kiwi (kiwi pukupuku) were released at Shakespear Open Sanctuary on March 4. 

They have come from Kapiti Island to join the other cohort of little spotted kiwi which were brought to the sanctuary last year.

The new kiwi will offer some genetic mixing to give the population its best chance of survival, Auckland Council Senior Ranger Open Sanctuaries Matt Maitland said.

Just 45 minutes north of the CBD around 550,000 people visit Shakespear Regional Park each year. 

Those visiting the park will be able to hear the kiwi calling, as they are very territorial, Maitland said.

Sossi member Ginnie Quartel with Minnie Clark from Ngati Toa (Kapiti Island), where the birds all came from, and senior ranger Matt Maitland.

All of the birds have been fitted with radio transmitters and, for the next couple of months, will be tracked and monitored every day by volunteers.

In April 2017, 10 birds each from Kapiti Island and Tiritiri Matangi Island were released. These have settled in well, and indications are that they've started breeding. 

Until recently these kiwi were only able to be trans-located to five other islands. However, with island sanctuaries now at capacity, this new mainland population is critical to their survival, DOC translocation project manager Angus Hulme-Moir said at the time of the release.

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Genetic weakness threatens rare kiwi

The little spotted kiwi population has such low genetic diversity that the whole population could be wiped out if struck by the ‘‘right’’ disease.

A Victoria University study released today has revealed that every one of the smallest kiwi species stems from just five birds who were moved to Kapiti Island in 1912 when fears of its extinction began.

Lead researcher Dr Kristina Ramstad said researchers, who conducted the study with the Department of Conservation, were shocked to find another gene pool moved from D’Urville Island to Long Island in the 1980s had not reproduced.

‘‘Those individuals from D’Urville didn’t leave any offspring as far as we can tell.’’

It was unexpected considering being in the predator-free environment.

‘‘We know now that wasn’t enough, they didn’t reproduce.’’

While the reason for the reproductive failure on D’Urville was unknown, the founders may have been infertile or past reproductive age when translocated.

The little spotted kiwi was the only of five kiwi species not considered endangered, but its low and continual erosion of genetic diversity meant it now faced other risks.

‘‘Every living little spotted kiwi, we now know from this study, originated from at most, five birds put on Kapiti in 1912.’’

There were now 1200 birds on the island, and all the nation's little spotted kiwi originated from the same founders.

Continued