Lucky Whisker the kiwi released back to the wild

Rotorua, 18 March 2015: A joint effort between the local Motu community near Gisborne, and the Kiwi Encounter team at Rainbow Springs has helped save Whisker the kiwi chick, literally by a whisker.

About three weeks ago the plucky kiwi chick survived being run over by a 13-tonne digger a day or two before it was due to hatch, and after being nurtured to health by the Kiwi Encounter team at Rainbow Springs the chick has just been released back to the wild.

The kiwi rescue story began when local land owner Clive Lewis discovered a partially crushed kiwi egg and bundled it up in his jacket. He then drove it to safety at his house, before picking up the phone for help.

He called local Whinray Kiwi Trust volunteer Steve Sawyer who in turn called the specialist kiwi team at Kiwi Encounter who relayed advice over the phone about how to help save the It called for a 4 hour drive to Rotorua to deliver the partially hatched chick to Kiwi Encounter at Rainbow Springs. Local Amy England plucked her 4-year-old son Cael from daycare for the rescue trip north, ensuring the chick was kept warm along the way.

Kiwi Encounter Assistant Husbandry Manager Emma Bean says, "When the chick arrived it had a lot of soil around its navel and needed a bit of a clean up, but apart from that it managed to complete the hatch itself and was strong and healthy.

"I'd like to commend everyone who helped deliver the chick to us at Kiwi Encounter, calling us and keeping the egg warm was exactly the right thing to do." Emma says she encourages anyone who finds a kiwi egg to call the Kiwi Encounter team for advice.

Now strong and healthy Whisker has just been released into a kiwi crèche at the Whinray Reserve in Motu, and in a few weeks time will move to its new home in the bigger reserve, which is predator proof.

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