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Thanks to an active intervention program, at Whangarei Heads we really do have kiwi in our backyard.

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February 18th, 2016

Backyard Kiwi release three kiwi

 

Mt Manaia watched over as three more kiwi were released on Saturday

Philip King  welcomed everyone and thanked Melissa and Mick Leahy who hosted the release on their farm at McLeod Bay and over 300 people made a short walk up the hill to sit under a huge pohutukawa.

w-Leahy family_2721Leahy Family with Chocolate and kiwi handler Rolf Fuchs

w-WHLF-Phillip welcome_092Philip King -Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum  Chairman (WHLF)

Todd’s Talk

Todd is an inspired speaker and people listened enraptured to his brief history of kiwi, their physiology and behaviour. Todd explained how we monitor the expanding population here, why they are surviving and what you can do to help the population continue to thrive.

The biggest threat to kiwi chicks are stoats and for adult kiwi – uncontrolled dogs. For those of us lucky enough to live alongside hundreds of wild kiwi it is vital that we manage our pet dogs. As Kiwi numbers swell more of us are seeing kiwi crossing the roads – so keep an eye out when driving at night.

w-Pple-Manaia

w-Pple-Tod Talk–115

After the ‘Todd Talk’ our 3 kiwi handlers Rolf Fuchs, Bernie Buhler and Todd Hamilton walked amongst the crowd and every one got to see kiwi up close.

w-Don+Bernie-142Kiwi up close

w-Choclate+Rolf-150 Chocolate -named by the Leahy family

w-Don and Bernie _138Donald – (Don) named by BYK Proud Supporters Lynda Lloyd

w-Ziggy+ToddZiggy named by BYK Proud Supporters  John Fulton, Lynne and Kevin Banton

Supporting the project WHLF

Maintaining a safe habitat with sufficient the food supply for kiwi (and other native species) is the focus for many of the Whangarei Heads Landcare projects.

People from near and far are actively involved in pest and weed control and monitoring. A dedicated core group of locals regularly check traps and bait lines and for special events people come from out of the area to participate too. Martin Hunt updated us on some of the other local Landcare activites – Manaia  and Reotahi (Mt Aubrey) pest control and Papakarahi –reforestation  and encouraged anyone interested in getting involved to contact  martinhunt@farmside.co.nz.

w-Martin WHLF-0131Martin Hunt, Whangarei Heads Landcare Forum

w-Proud SUppoert-Linda Loyld-159Proud Supporter Lynda Lloyd with Don and Bernie

We were delighted to have Lynda Lloyd Whangarei Top 10 one of our Backyard Kiwi Proud Supporters attend the kiwi release. Our Proud Supporters enthusiasm, interest and financial support is important to Backyard Kiwi, if you would like to become a proud supporter please get in touch with Martin Hunt.

Thanks to:

  • Kiwi Coast A fantastic resource and heaps of energy –very exciting to see the trapping network extending up the east coast especially as our kiwi are marching north and west out of the Whangarei Heads peninsula.
  • Northland Regional Council  Provides ongoing support and encouragement.
  • Kiwis for Kiwi  For supporting these kiwi releases.

 

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WHANGAREI HEADS LANDCARE FORUM