Save the Kiwi Bird
The Kiwi bird population used to run in the millions. In 2003, the official count was less than 50,000 birds. At this rate, the Kiwi will be extinct within our lifetime.
The Kiwi is a national icon of New Zealand, the namesake of all New Zealanders.
Indicator Species
There are several types of Kiwi birds, including the Brown Kiwi, the Little Spotted Kiwi and the Great Spotted Kiwi. As an indicator species, the fate of the Kiwi is the fate of the entire ecology. Their disappearance is a warning to us all.
What You Can Do
Photographer: Tourism New Zealand
(www.newzealand.com)
(www.newzealand.com)
You can support the organizations and groups that are protecting the Kiwi. You can volunteer your time or you can send a donation. There are also some simple and practical ways to help:
- Control your dogs, especially at night. Do not bring your dog into known Kiwi areas.
- If you see a dog in a Kiwi area, please report it.
- Learn to recognise the sound of Kiwi calls.
- When driving at night, watch out for crossing Kiwis.
