Stella was sponsored and named by Blake Marston and his family from Grounded Kiwi. She was released at Omoana near Tupaia in 2023, however both birds moved in completely different directions. She roamed the area for some time, before settling down 2km away. We think she might have found a mate as she remained in the same area for the two years she was monitored.
Named by Ngāti Ruanui kaumatua, Uncle Sandy Parata, after Ngāti Tupaia, the hapū from the Rotokare Sanctuary rohe. Tupaia was released near Stella, as we had big plans for them. Unfortunately they both headed off in different directions, with Tupaia ending up in the nearby Waitiri Conservation Area. He had his first attempt at a nest before his transmitter was removed, so it is likely he found a female and has settled down in his own territory.
Sponsored by Primo Wireless after their first manu on the Mounga, Primo, managed to escape her transmitter! Rewi is named after Dave, one of their long serving staff members. When Rewi was first caught at the kōhanga for translocation, he was found in with his mate Ohia and the two were released together at Omoana. Unfortunately they ended up going their separate ways, but Rewi found a new female nearby, and had four successful nests during the two years he was monitored.
Alex is an adult male kiwi who was born in Rotokare reserve. He was caught by the conservation dogs in 2017, and monitored for several years to help understand breeding productivity within the reserve. Alex hangs out close to the road and one year he even had his breeding burrow right on the side of the road up a bank. We were able to use a ladder from the road to get to the burrow. His two chicks that year are called Axle and Prince. His 2020 clutch of eggs hatched during the first Covid 19 lockdown – so appropriately the chicks were called Ardern and Bloomfield
Papa is another bird with a very special story. He was in the news after he was attacked by a stoat on Waitaanga Road, North Taranaki, in late 2019. Fortunately a truck driver noticed the kiwi’s plight while driving past, leapt from his truck, and rescued the young chick from the jaws of the stoat at the bottom of a papa bank. He was sent to Wildbase Hospital for treatment, then to Wairakei Sanctuary to recuperate. In June 2020 he was brought back to Taranaki and released in Rotokare Sanctuary to provide new genetics and become Founder #37 for the TKKR project.
Rex is named after Rex Hartley who is the person who initiated the trapping program in the Totara Block way back in the 1970’s. She is also an offspring of Alex who has provided us with many chicks over the years.
The Hulk was translocated to the Tōtara Block in 2020 from TKKR and was named by a very special cancer sufferer as he was such a strong bird.
Here is Prince the day she was release into the Tōtara Block. She was hatched by Alex in November 2018 at TKKR and named by our Trust Manager. She had been a little elusive to catch from time to time for her health checks, so we were please to release her without a transmitter.
Popo hatched in 2016 at Mt Hiwi in South Taranaki. He spent his very early life at Kiwi Encounter and then was creched at Rotokare Scenic Reserve until he was a suitable weight to be released onto the maunga. Popokatea (whitehead) was named by a Mt Hiwi trustee due to the white patches around his face and the bald head that he has had since hatch. Popo has become known as the sub alpine bachelor kiwi as he lives up near Warwick Castle in the scrub and tussock and is yet to successfully breed.
Koko is sponsored by Contact Energy and hatched on Christmas day in 2009 at Kiwi Encounter. He spent the first 8 years of his life at Ōtorohonga Kiwi House and was released on Taranaki Maunga in 2017. Koko has taken up residence around the Connett Loop Track area at North Egmont and has proved himself as a successful breeder. Here is a link to a video of Koko doing a bit of housekeeping outside his burrow in late 2020.
Erendhil hatched in 2015 at Ōtorohonga Kiwi House and lived there until her release in 2017. She was released on the same day as Dale on the Curtis Falls Track and she has remained there since. Erendhil has proved to be a successful breeder and her and Dale have bred each year since their release with two clutches in 2023.
Dale hatched in 2013 at Otorohonga Kiwi House and lived there for the first 4 years of his life. He was released in 2017 on the Curtis Falls Track and has remained less than a few hundred metres from his release site not far from the Mountain House. Dale was released near Erendhil and they have since become a pair breeding successfully each year.
Meet Kaha the kiwi, he lives on the Stratford side of Taranaki Maunga. He is an adventurous kiwi who has traveled approximately 15 km since his release in 2023, but is yet to find a female friend. He was a calm bird for us to handle at his annual health check and transmitter change.
Silver hatched in 2017. He was taken as an egg from the wild, hatched at Kiwi Encounter then creched at Rotokare Scenic Reserve until he was a suitable weight to be released on the mountain. Silver is a very special kiwi to the Castle family who have followed his progress from day one, they were present at the egg lift and continue to monitor him on the mountain. Silver had two clutches last season and we have high hopes he will continue to breed well into the future with his partner Ngana, they had two clutches in the 2023 breeding season sadly he subsequently dropped his transmitter so we are no longer able to monitor him.
Many of the 183 kiwi release on Taranaki Maunga have been monitored over the years. As well as our featured birds the following have transmitters attached and are being monitored by our Kiwi Ranger Toby Shanley and a team of volunteers. Many of them live in close proximity to the North Egmont Visitors Centre.
66 kiwi have now been released on the Kaitake Ranges since 2021. Kiwi were once widespread throughout the ranges but had disappeared presumed due to predation from introduced predators. The Kaitake Ranges Conservation Trust and the Taranaki Mounga Project have been working hard to reduce predator numbers which have enabled kiwi to thrive and breed on the Ranges. Below is a list of monitored kiwi in the Kaitake Ranges:
Kiwi in the Wild
Taranaki Kōhanga Kiwi at Rotokare
Totara Block
Taranaki Mounga and the Kaitake Ranges
