A citizen campaign returns iconic kiwi birds to New Zealand’s capital after a century-long absence

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The kiwi, New Zealand’s revered national bird, disappeared from the hills surrounding Wellington over a century ago. However, the city’s residents are now leading an extraordinary citizen effort to reintroduce the endangered flightless birds back into their urban environment.

“They are a part of our identity and our sense of belonging here,” explained Paul Ward, the founder of the Capital Kiwi Project, a charitable trust. “But they have been absent from these hills for far too long, and as Wellingtonians, we felt it was time to change that.”

On a mist-covered hill overlooking the sea that separates New Zealand’s North and South Islands, Ward and a group of individuals traversed rugged farmland late one Tuesday night, carrying seven crates in silence illuminated by dim red torchlight. Each crate contained a kiwi, marking the 250th bird relocated to Wellington as part of the Capital Kiwi Project.

The kiwi, after which New Zealanders are often nicknamed, is a peculiar and shy bird with underdeveloped wings and a whiskery face.

Considered spiritually significant by many New Zealanders, the kiwi’s image can be found everywhere, including on the tail of the country’s air force planes — an ironic choice for a bird without a tail that cannot fly.

It is estimated that there were 12 million kiwis roaming the landscape before human settlement in New Zealand. Today, only around 70,000 kiwi remain nationwide, with their population decreasing by 2% annually.

In the hills where Wellington’s kiwi now reside and reproduce, the only sound heard on Tuesday night was the swoosh of wind turbines. Ward and his companions carefully opened the crates, allowing the kiwi to take their first steps into the shadowed terrain before disappearing into the darkness.

Some of the onlookers were moved to tears, while a man recited a Māori prayer. As the kiwi ventured out of their crates, their distinctive long beaks emerged, leading them to explore their new surroundings before vanishing into the night.

One location the kiwi had never visited until this week was New Zealand’s Parliament. Prior to their release into the hills, the seven newest residents were brought into the grand banquet hall of Parliament for a celebration marking the 250th kiwi’s arrival in the city.

Lawmakers and schoolchildren alike expressed quiet excitement at seeing the timid, nocturnal birds up close, many for the first time, as conservation workers cradled the large birds with care, resembling human babies, with their gnarled feet extended.

“This creature has contributed significantly to our national identity,” Ward shared with The Associated Press. “We want to urge our civic leaders and politicians to recognize the importance of this relationship.”

New Zealand is home to some of the world’s most unique and rare bird species. The survival of these species has been possible through dedicated conservation efforts, often facing funding challenges.

Decades ago, initiatives were implemented to relocate surviving birds of certain species to offshore, predator-free islands or sanctuaries for protection and monitoring, although few New Zealanders had the opportunity to see them.

Ward and his team envisioned a different future, where New Zealand’s iconic national bird could thrive alongside humans in a bustling city that had once eradicated the kiwi due to human encroachment and introduced predators.

“By bringing them back to where people are, we can fulfill our role as guardians and ensure their well-being,” Ward explained.

While unmanaged kiwi populations are declining, their numbers have flourished in carefully managed wild bird sanctuaries, leading to relocation efforts to cities like Wellington, where residents are encouraged to embrace the new inhabitants. Kiwi sightings have been reported by late-night mountain bikers and captured on backyard security cameras in the capital.

“They are thriving and interacting in the hills surrounding our city,” Ward noted.

This achievement required collaboration between landowners, the local Māori tribe, and the Capital Kiwi Project over the past decade to establish a vast 24,000-hectare area where kiwi can roam freely.

The land is equipped with over 5,000 traps for stoats, the primary predator of kiwi chicks, resulting in a remarkable 90% chick survival rate in Wellington.

The kiwi initiative is part of New Zealand’s ambitious goal to eliminate introduced predators, such as feral cats, possums, rats, and stoats, from the country by 2050. While the success of this target has been debated, community groups have taken on the challenge with determination.

Certain areas of Wellington are now free of mammalian predators, except for household pets, allowing native birds to thrive. Volunteers actively monitor neighborhoods for any signs of invasive species.

“When considering endangered species globally, there is often little individuals can do beyond advocacy or donations,” stated Michelle Impey, the chief executive of Save the Kiwi. “However, in New Zealand, there is a widespread movement where ordinary people are taking proactive steps to protect a threatened species.”