New Campaign Launched to Save the Kiwi
21 Nov 2007
They are New Zealand's national icon - and a new campaign to protect them has been launched at Auckland Zoo.
The Fragile Kiwi campaign, aimed at primary school children, has been designed to make families recognise their responsibility in controlling pets. Every summer around holiday hot spots, many Kiwi birds are killed by domestic dogs and cats.
It is hoped the children will act as ambassadors, helping to spread the word about the importance of protecting the Kiwi for future generations.
The Kiwi is under threat of distinction unless more is done to protect the fragile, flightless bird. Current numbers stand at around 70,000 - a drop of more than 8,000 in just six years.
The New Zealand Kiwi Foundation estimates mainland populations of Kiwi are declining at a rate of four to five percent a year and if that trend continues the bird could become extinct within 20 - 30 years. Most of New Zealand's original native forest where Kiwi once lived free from predators is now gone.
While there are many initiatives to protect all species throughout the country the foundation believes people need to know how they can help minimise the threats. Dogs, cats, stoats and ferrets are among Kiwi's worst enemies and 70 per cent of chicks are killed before they reach six months of age. Loss of habitat with pressure from new housing development also threatens survival rates.
It's not all doom and gloom for the flightless bird; breeding programmes throughout the country are showing increased success. Last month Kiwi Encounter in Rotorua celebrated the safe arrival of the 500th Kiwi hatched since their recovery programme began in 1995. Hatching Kiwi in captivity greatly increases the chance of survival - an average of 65-70 per cent as opposed to six per cent for those hatched in the wild.
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