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Mohua the Great Spotted Kiwi
Date: 24 September 2006
Willowbank has been the home of 'Mohua' the Great Spotted Kiwi since August 2005. Willowbank was given the responsibility of the care of her after she spent time at
Massey
University
from an accident while being moved to the Rotoiti Nature Project Area in
Nelson
Lakes
National Park
. During the release Mohua broke the very tip of her beak, where the nostrils are. Kiwis are the only birds to have nostrils at the end of long bills, essential to help them scent worms when digging underground. She was sent immediately to the NZ Wildlife Centre at Massey for care.
Following some regrowth of the bill, she was released into the Rotoiti area to see how she fared living in the wild. However she lost weight and had to be returned to Massey.
Since arriving at Willowbank her weight has roller coasted even with daily hand feeding. After some months of assessment the staff at Willowbank decided to try to encourage her to find her own food for a trial period by withdrawing all hand feeding and presenting her with earthworms and other live grubs such as huhu grubs, millipedes and grass grubs. The amount she can eat in a night has proven to be phenomenal, with up to 500 earthworms and 70 huhu grubs disappearing on some nights. This amounts to two thirds of a two litre ice-cream container. Consequently worm digging has become a hefty burden for the staff.
Since the media have shown our problem in the Press and on Television News many people have brought containers of varying sizes to us for Mohua. We are very grateful for all the help we have been given in this way but it is an ongoing problem as Mohua seems to have discovered a ferocious appetite now she is eating on her own.
Although the numbers of Great Spotted Kiwi (the main kiwi found in the
South Island
) have reduced from 30,000 to an estimated 10,000 in the wild there are currently no breeding birds in captivity. Another worrying factor noticed by staff working in our National Parks is that no juvenile birds have been seen for many years. However there are plans underway for a project to increase numbers with a breeding program.
Every attempt is being made to utilize this valuable female in such a program. The only breeding male in captivity has just been transferred to Willowbank to further this. She has been introduced gradually to 'Saxon' the Great Spotted male from
Otorohanga
Kiwi
Park
, in an attempt to involve her in this critically endangered Kiwi breeding program.
At this stage, they are settling in a large predator free enclosure that has been planted out in native. Mohua’s weight is being assessed regularly, which will show up any loss in weight or gain from developing an egg.
A group of people doing work experience from IHC through 'Idea Services' have been collecting huhu grubs from Burwood Plantation. This group spends time each day working on the mountain bike tracks in the forest.
In the meantime, Willowbank is still looking out for all sources of earthworms available to be fed to Mohua.
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Willowbank Wildlife Reserve & Restaurant
60 Hussey Road, Christchurch
New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 359 6226
Fax: +64 3 359 6212
Email: info@willowbank.co.nz
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