Kiwi Recovery Work

The New Zealand Conservation Trust’s Kiwi Recovery programme is a key part of our mission to protect and restore one of Aotearoa’s most iconic native species. Kiwi are in serious decline due to introduced predators such as stoats, rats, ferrets and wild cats — with survival rates for wild‑hatched chicks as low as 5–12% in many areas.

At the heart of our work is our purpose‑built kiwi breeding centre, which was run in partnership with Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Under the national Operation Nest Egg conservation framework, DOC locate and collect eggs from carefully monitored wild nests, these eggs then come to our kiwi breeding centre at Willowbank where they are cared for during the incubation period and the juvenal stages. This dramatically increases chicks survival — giving them vital care during their most vulnerable early weeks and months. Once they reach a safe weight and level of development, the juveniles are moved to predator‑free creche sites where they continue growing until they can fend for themselves in the wild.

Today, the programme has successfully transitioned to the team at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, who continue the daily care, incubation, and release operations, ensuring the kiwi continue to thrive while the Trust focuses on broader conservation initiatives across Canterbury.

Read more about our Kiwi journey below -