Kiwi eggs steadily arriving at Kiwi Encounter

Kiwi eggs steadily arriving at Kiwi Encounter

Rotorua: 24 December 2015: And they keep on rolling in! The arrival of the long awaited milestone 1,500th kiwi chick hatch is getting closer by the day, and eggs are still steadily arriving at Rainbow Springs' Kiwi Encounter.

Included amongst the eggs in incubation are 3 with a distinct blue tinge (see attache pics). Relatively rare, the blue colour is due to variations of mineral content in the mother's diet, kiwi eggs are usually white.

The 1,500th hatch, which marks a milestone in kiwi conservation, is getting close and the 1,500th chick could arrive in the next few days.

Kiwi Encounter Kiwi Husbandry Manager Claire Travers says, "Predicting when an egg will hatch is an art in itself. It involves candling - shining a bright light on the egg - to reveal what stage of development the egg is at and also the health of the embryo.

"It's like waiting for a human baby to be born though, mother nature tends to make its own mind up as to when it actually happens!"

Kiwi Encounter's work is integral for kiwi conservation. Most kiwi chicks don't survive in the wild due to predators such as stoats, so DOC staff lift the partially incubated eggs from their burrows and deliver them to Kiwi Encounter to incubate and hatch. After hatching, the team raises the chicks to a ‘stoat-proof’ weight of 1kg before relasing them back into the wild.

Kiwi Encounter also plays an important part in helping with kiwi research. The team is currently looking into making improvements to the artificial kiwi diet, lighting in nocturnal enclosures, the role of bacteria in egg shell contamination and coccidia (gut parasites) treatment trials.

Kiwi Encounter's kiwi conservation work is funded by Rainbow Springs owner Ngai Tahu Tourism, sponsorship and public donations.

To donate, or sponsor a kiwi, visit http://www.rainbowsprings.co.nz/donate

Rainbow Springs Nature Park

Rainbow Springs Nature Park is an icon of New Zealand tourism, and has been open since 1932. Set in acres of Rotorua parkland, Rainbow Springs has a strong conservation drive and is a breeding centre for endangered native species like the kiwi and tuatara. Features of the award-winning tourist attraction include New Zealand’s only “open to view” kiwi hatchery, Kiwi Encounter, the Big Splash water ride, free-flight bird show and a range of wildlife including trout, tuatara and native birds. Rainbow Springs is part of Ng?i Tahu Tourism's tourism portfolio.

Ng?i Tahu Tourism

Ng?i Tahu Tourism (a subsidiary of Ng?i Tahu Holdings) is New Zealand’s largest M?ori-owned tourism business with up to 350 team members during peak season. The business manages over 800,000 customer experiences throughout the year. The Ng?i Tahu Tourism portfolio includes:

- Rainbow Springs Nature Park (Rotorua)

- Agrodome (Rotorua)

- Hukafalls Jet (Taup?)

- Shotover Jet (Queenstown)

- Franz Josef Glacier Guides (Franz Josef)

- Glacier Hot Pools (Franz Josef)

- Dart River (Queenstown)

- Hollyford Track (Fiordland National Park)

- Guided Walks New Zealand and New Zealand Snowshoe (Queenstown)

ENDS

© Scoop Media