Distinction Luxmore Hotel, Lake Te Anau's General Manager, Paul Austin had the special privilege of assisting our partner, the Fiordland Conservation Trust and the project sponsor Fiordland Lobster Company with the translocation of Little Spotted Kiwis onto predator free Anchor Island/Pukenui in Dusky Sound recently.
Little spotted kiwi, apteryx owenii, are the most vulnerable of our national bird to introduced predators. Originally from the South Island, they are the only one of the kiwi species to become extinct on the mainland. As early as 1890-1910, a number of the little spotted kiwi were translocated to Kapiti Island. The first transfer back to Fiordland was in 2008-10, to Chalky/Te Kakahu Island.
Now stoat-free, forest-clad Anchor Island's healthy ecosystem has been identified as an ideal environment for the long-term survival of these precious kiwis. Between 2014-2016 up to 45 kiwi will be transferred from Kapiti Island to Anchor, with up to 20 birds being transferred at any one time.
On Kapiti Island, the kiwi are fitted with radio transmitters several months in advance and then tracked on transfer day, ensuring as smooth a transfer as possible. Air New Zealand are providing the wings from Wellington to Queenstown for these little flightless birds. Helicopter transport is then utilised from there to Dusky’s Anchor Island.
Please click here to read more about how Distinction Hotels are teaming up with the Fiordland Conservation Trust and to make a donation to the Kids Restore The Kepler conservation project