Kiwi Coast’s purpose-built Kiwi Rehabilitation Centre in rural Kerikeri has proved its worth this year, helping to save the lives of nine kiwi.
The rehab centre helps injured or diseased wild Northland kiwi who have been attacked by predators, hit by cars or who are suffering from malnourishment and dehydration during extra dry summers and droughts.
Nine kiwi were successfully treated at the centre and released this year. Kiwi ‘patients’ included a number of dehydrated and malnourished chicks affected by the Northland drought over the 2024/25 summer. Further kiwi came into the centre after ingesting poisonous karaka berries – perhaps a natural food source exacerbated by the drought conditions.
The centre has nine pens, each with a nesting box and native ferns and grasses, and a clinic with three brood boxes for quarantine and intensive care. It was blessed and opened with local hapū Te Whiu in February 2024 and gifted with the name ‘Te Korowai Atawhai ō Puketotara’.
Kiwi come into the centre for rehabilitation and care after first receiving any veterinary treatment needed. Kiwi Coast Far North Coordinator and retired vet Lesley Baigent ran special training sessions with Bay of Islands vet clinics earlier in the year to build skills and understanding amongst vets, nurses and staff regarding how to handle, assess and treat these special needs customers.
Rehabilitating kiwi and growing them to a safe weight for release areas takes time and dedicated care. Swampy, a male, and Sassy, a stroppy female, were two long term rehab residents this year, both of whom came off Moturoa Island malnourished and dehydrated due to the summer drought. Over six months, they slowly gained weight and condition until they finally reached 1.2kg (the weight at which kiwi can fight off a stoat) and were ready for release. Moturoa Island landowners helped to release Swampy and Sassy into the Opua State Forest where Bay Bush Action sustains intensive predator control and good dog control.
The latest successful release was a young kiwi named Parahutihuti. This was a young
chick found dehydrated and hungry on the side of the road on the way to the Purerua peninsula in peak summer heat.
Kiwi Coast Chairperson, Jane Hutchings said:
“A huge thanks is extended to the kiwi rehab volunteers and sponsors, whose hard work and dedication has helped to save kiwi lives. We are also grateful to DOC Bay of Islands and the Bay of Islands Veterinary Clinic who triage the birds and decide appropriate initial treatment. Finally, special thanks to Air NZ who fly kiwi to the Massey University Wildbase Centre for free when needing further specialist care.”
If you would like to help injured or sick kiwi receive the care they need, join the Kiwi Coast Rehab Centre Sponsors here.
Deb Bayens-Wright and Lesley Baigent releasing a rehabilitated kiwi back into the Rangitane Reserve Photo: Dean Wright.
Anyone finding an injured or distressed kiwi in Northland should call the 24-hour conservation hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) in the first instance.
