KiwiNewZ

Okarito Brown Kiwi

It was only discovered in 1993 that the Okarito brown kiwi, living in lowland forest just north of Franz Josef in the South Island, was a distinct variety of kiwi. It has a slightly greyish plumage, and sometimes has white feathers on its face. In the last three years no chicks have survived beyond 3 months old - possum management has meant that more chicks were hatching, only to be eaten by stoats.

As yet, there is no fail-proof way of controlling stoats. It’s possible future chicks could be removed and reared safely, then released back into the wild when they are big enough to defend themselves. However, research is needed to see if they could make the shift from the artificial diet in captivity to an insect diet once released. The Okarito brown kiwi is the rarest kiwi, with around 100 individuals known to scientists.