These three chicks’ range in age from 6 to 22-days-old, and once they reach the right weights they will be released on to crèche and kōhanga predator-free islands where they can safely have chicks of their own.
A few days after they hatch, each kiwi chick is transferred to a large brooder where they will eat, sleep and fossick around in the leaf litter for bugs. Yesterday, bird keepers Ashleigh and Debs carefully weighed each kiwi to track their growth, with the chicks weighing between 271 – 360 grams.
We’ve been part of the Operation Nest Egg (ONE) programme since the late 1990’s, helping to boost populations of brown kiwi in the wild with Department of Conservation, Kiwis for kiwi and regional conservation partners. All three chicks bring valuable genetics from Te Mata and Kuaotunu in the Coromandel, and without conservation intervention like this only 5% of kiwi chicks would go on to reach breeding age. You contribute to our Wild Work every time you visit the zoo!
