Source: Radio New Zealand
Capital Kiwi returned kiwi to Wellington for the first time in at least a century back in 2022. Krystal Gibbens/RNZ
New Zealand’s national icon has set foot in Parliament for the first time as Wellington’s burgeoning kiwi population was celebrated in the wake of the final birds being translocated for the project this week.
After years of predator control on over more than 23,000 hectares, Capital Kiwi returned kiwi to Wellington for the first time in at least a century back in 2022.
The project had a permit for the translocation of 250 birds, the last few which were welcomed at the Beehive with a pōwhiri on Monday night before being released into Wellington’s hills.
Capital Kiwi founder Paul Ward says to reach this milestone is extraordinary.
“It’s kind of beyond our wildest expectations in terms of A. the support of our iwi, our communities, our landowners to do it, but B. just how well those birds are going out on those hills.”
Rahul Papa who chairs Ngāti Korokī Kahukura and represents Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in the Waikato says he can’t remember another time where actual live kiwi have been inside the Parliament building.
Capital Kiwi returned kiwi to Wellington for the first time in at least a century back in 2022. Krystal Gibbens/RNZ
“Notwithstanding the two-legged sort of kiwis,” he said. “The actual taonga, I can’t think of another time where that has happened. So this is a huge first for these wonderful taonga, it’s a huge first for the Parliament, and it’s a huge first for the nation.”
Each kiwi that is translocated is gifted by an iwi and received by another.
Rāwiri Walsh Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o te Ika, Ngā Rauru Kītahi, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Rangi, Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi Kaimanāki Kiwi Capital Kiwi Project liaises with those iwi and is also represents the receiving iwi.
He says to have been able to move 250 birds is a huge endeavour.
“Not just in terms of number, but in terms of other projects moving forward, that they can see that this is done and we’ve taken the success of other projects and we’ve shaped it for the mainland and proven that it can be done.”
He expects they’ll continue to have strong relationships with the iwi involved.
“It’s onward and upward and we’ll continue to leverage off these relationships now as they’re strong.”
While Ward says their work isn’t done, Capital Kiwi is also looking at what else they could achieve.
“What has enabled this is a network of guardianship across that landscape, and that network, both of pest removal and of relationships, also has enormous potential for many other taonga species,” he said.
He said they were well advanced in terms of discussions with iwi and with DOC around further taonga species that could come home to Wellington.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand