Trail camera footage near nests on Waiheke Island shows the first North Island Brown kiwi chick has hatched.
It follows the introduction of 10 kiwi on Te Motuaarairoa, the eastern and most isolated side of the island, in May this year.
According to Save the Kiwi, the parents of this chick were already a pair when brought to the island, with landowners, volunteers and Save the Kiwi monitoring their progress.
“This is a huge milestone for the kiwi released earlier this year,” says Save the Kiwi dog specialist Emma Craig.
“We’re hopeful this one will make it to adulthood — but we always remember that kiwi survival isn’t 100%, and losing some individuals is part of the reality of growing a wild kiwi population.”
The chick was believed to have hatched sometime in the last couple of weeks.
A transmitter attached to the male kiwi indicated he was still incubating, so it’s possible another chick will appear in the coming days.
Kiwi chicks were independent and did not need to be fed by their parents, said Save the Kiwi. At this age, their beaks may not be strong enough to dig into the ground so they foraged for insects in the leaf litter.
The trail cam footage showed the chick had been exploring the area around the nest site.
More adult kiwi will also be translocated from Pōnui Island to Waiheke in early 2026.
rnz.co.nz
