Kiwi make a comeback in Wellington as conservation project exceeds survival goals

Wellington, New Zealand: There was more good news from the southern hemisphere this week, as a conservation project for kiwi marked a triumphant end. The national bird of New Zealand, with its long needle-like beak and fluffy brown feathers, appears on everything from the one-dollar coin to — somewhat ironically — the side of air force planes. Yet, in the last 100 years, the flightless bird has rarely been seen in the wild.

A population of more than 12 million birds once roamed the country. A combination of introduced predators and habitat loss has reduced numbers to around 70,000. This week, the Capital Kiwi Project reported promising results in the Wellington area. The initiative began re-introducing chicks into the city’s surrounding rural areas in 2022. Since then, 250 birds have been released, with 90% of chicks surviving. That rate greatly exceeded the project’s 30% survival goal.

On Tuesday, kiwi were brought into New Zealand Parliament’s banquet hall, where people gathered to celebrate the success of the initiative. Paul Ward, founder of the Capital Kiwi Project, said the effort shows what is possible when communities align. “That work to return kiwi is a shared purpose that is extremely powerful,” he told the Guardian. “What’s incredibly satisfying about tonight is that it’s working, it’s showing what’s possible when people work together.”