Kiwi birds return to Wellington hills after century-long absence
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 1
Kiwi birds return to Wellington hills after century-long absence
8 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 1
Seven birds, including the 250th relocated by the Capital Kiwi Project, were released above New Zealand's capital after a celebratory first visit to Parliament.
The citizen-led effort has created a 24,000-hectare roaming area protected by more than 5,000 stoat traps, helping Wellington's kiwi population achieve a 90% chick survival rate.
With only about 70,000 kiwi left nationwide and numbers still falling, the project is part of New Zealand's wider 2050 goal to eradicate introduced predators and restore native wildlife.
With kiwis now roaming Wellington's backyards, how will the city manage the inevitable conflicts between people and protected wildlife?
Can a volunteer army fighting predators in one city truly be the blueprint to save New Zealand's endangered species nationwide?