Kiwi Carers Eagerly Await "Mini Kiwi"

Kiwi Carers Eagerly Await "Mini Kiwi"

Rotorua, New Zealand – 24 January 2014. The team at Rotorua’s Rainbow Springs Kiwi Encounter is eagerly awaiting the hatching of its smallest kiwi egg, also believed to the smallest egg of its kind in New Zealand.

At 68 days incubation, the egg only has a little way to go and the Kiwi Encounter team are hoping it will be on schedule to hatch before the end of this month With cameras installed and intensive care specialists at the ready, “this arrival is one of the most eagerly awaited in some time" says Kiwi Encounter husbandry manager, Claire Travers.

Claire explains that the egg weighed just 217.6grams on its arrival from the Southern Whirinaki Forest and is a single anomaly from this clutch which has produced one other normal sized egg. By comparison, the sibling weighs in at 442.1grams, more than double the weight of ‘mini.’ Previously the smallest chick to date was McMurdo – his egg was 292.0grams at the same age and he weighed 238.5grams at hatch.

Claire says it’s a “complete mystery” why the female has laid an odd egg in a clutch. Possible factors are that it is diet-related or it could point to issues with her ovaries or reproductive tract. Whatever caused ‘mini’ to be laid, he or she can be assured of the very best care come hatching time.

For just an extra $10 per person, visitors to Rainbow Springs can enjoy a ‘behind the scenes’ encounter, which includes a glimpse at the mini egg in its incubator.

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