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Where once trod millions, kiwi numbers are now plummeting on mainland New Zealand.
The need to commence kiwi conservation was understood after research was completed by the Department of Conservation back in the early 1990's.
The most successful initiative to help save kiwi is Bank of New Zealand Save the Kiwi 'Operation Nest Egg' programme, managed by the Department of Conservation. Kiwi Encounter continues the valuable work commenced by Rainbow Springs in 1995 when one abandoned egg was incubated and the chick 'Te Au Kaha' was hatched and released from the Tongariro/Taupo conservancy.
Eggs are brought to us from the wild by staff and field workers for the Department of Conservation and when they have hatched, and the kiwi are large enough to protect themselves from predators (1kg), they are released back into the wild to the area where they came from.
Over the years the number of kiwi eggs brought here has grown and these numbers shown below are expected to significantly increase with the opening of Kiwi Encounter in 2004.
Up until the end of the 2004/5 breeding season 263 chicks have been released back into the wild.
Through this programme Kiwi Encounter currently receives eggs from;
- Tongariro Forest Kiwi Sanctuary
- Moehau Kiwi Sanctuary
- Whakatane Kiwi Project
- Whirinaki Kiwi Project
- Save our Kiwi Hawkes Bay (Kawekas)
- Enviro Research Ltd (Waimarino)
- Taranaki Kiwi Trust
- Project Kiwi, Coromandel
- Bushy Park, Wanganui
- Whakamanu Wildlife Trust
- Karioi Rahui
- Hinepukohurangi Trust
- Maungataniwha
- Kaweka Forest Park
Kiwi Encounter would like to acknowledge and thank all those who give tirelessly of their time and energy, often working long hours on a voluntary basis, to bring us eggs from the wild. It is this kind of passionate commitment to kiwi that is making the difference in our fight to save this unique and wonderful bird.
Rainbow Spring's single greatest commitment to Operation Nest Egg and Bank of New Zealand Save the Kiwi Trust is the development of Kiwi Encounter. How the kiwi breeding season works at Kiwi Encounter
Kiwi Encounter operates within the seasonality of the kiwi breeding season. The following diagram gives you an indication of what will be at Kiwi Encounter on any month.
We receive eggs from the first clutch of kiwi eggs - August to November and the second clutch of eggs - December - April approx.
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