Could the secret to kiwi survival be in its poo? That’s the question Manaaki Whenua researchers are seeking to answer.

Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) are highly vulnerable to extinction in the wild, with populations currently in serious decline. Even though ongoing conservation efforts such as Operation Nest Egg (O.N.E) have increased their survival rate, the stress of captivity and the high density of chicks co-habiting still puts them at risk of disease, especially from the potentially lethal coccidia parasite. 

In one of the most extensive research projects involving kiwi yet, Manaaki Whenua researchers are tracking over 40 birds through different life stages at the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa in Rotorua by monitoring their faeces. 

“Our aim is to build a deeper understanding of the biology and physiology of kiwis living in captivity,” says Dr Manpreet Dhami, a Biocontrol and Molecular Ecology researcher at Manaaki Whenua. “One component of that is to find out what is happening in their gut, to understand the gut microbiome or flora.” 

Manpreet says the importance of the birds’ gut flora has been overlooked in the past. “Even though every effort is made to get their living conditions right, being in captivity is quite unlike what kiwis experience in their natural habitat. This research aims to understand how the captive environment is shaping the microbial communities in the gut of the kiwi.” 

“The end goal is to put good microbes back into the kiwi to give them the best possible start to life.” 

It’s been the job of doctoral student Priscilla San Juan from Stanford University, California, to collect the kiwis’ daily offerings. 

“I collect their first poos after they hatch, then when they are in the brooder room and then when they are in the outdoor runs. They start with an artificial diet in the hatchery and brooder rooms and then move to a more natural diet with invertebrates that are naturally occurring in the soil. 

“By monitoring what is in their faeces, we can track differences through the microbiome as different microbes colonise and assemble in the gut.” 

Priscilla says working with the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa has made it easier to track kiwis through their different life stages. 

“Here each kiwi is meticulously checked against various health parameters. They get weighed either weekly or daily and we can link different data points – weight, whether they take medication, whether they have parasites – to the different microbial communities we find in each faecal sample.” 

Manpreet says there are few ways to protect kiwi against parasites such as coccidiosis, so the researchers are hoping the microbial community may contain bacteria important for disease resistance, and that promote healthy gut. 

“Rather than medicate for diseases in the hatcheries, we may be able to develop preventative probiotics.” 

It’s an option welcomed by Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) Species co-ordinator and Kiwi Recovery group member Todd Jenkinson. “Coccidiosis is one of the biggest health issues the birds face at the moment. Being able to address this in a way that minimises the stress and welfare concerns, especially with the young birds, is really important for us.” 

Emma Bean, the Kiwi Husbandry Manager at the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa, says the research will guide best practice towards looking after kiwi in captive breeding programmes across Aotearoa and around the world. 

The research programme, which is in its second year, has been funded by the Strategic Science Investment Fund, with supplementary funding from the Ornithological Society of New Zealand. The National Kiwi Hatchery is owned by Ngāi Tahu Tourism.

An accompanying video is available.

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