Kiwi Release on Rotoroa Island

Kiwi Release

I had the honour of witnessing a kiwi release on Saturday on Rotoroa Island. . 

This was a North Island brown kiwi chick that has been on quite a journey for one so young. The egg which housed this cutie was laid in Thames and collected by Thames Coast Kiwi Care. Once collected, it was brought to Auckland Zoo to be hatched. And then to Rotoroa Island to be released in a creche. When they are released, they are very young and weigh around 200g. Because Rotoroa Island is pest free, this is a perfect place for them to grow up. Once they grow to be around 1.2kg, they are released back to the Coromandel-Thames area, or a site that is predator free and has a permanent breeding population of Kiwi, such as Motutapu Island.

A North Island Brown Kiwi

This initiative as a whole is known as Operation Nest Egg. The eggs are collected in the wild, as kiwi left in the wild have only a 5% survival rate, but this initiative increases that to 60%. 

It was an amazing experience. It was also quite eye opening. The amount of people who saw the kiwi through a phone or a camera, or simply as an opportunity for a selfie, kind of made me sad. Sometimes I think life is becoming less about embracing actual experiences, and more about being able to show people that you have done something.  I am not one to throw stones in glass houses - I fully acknowledge I struggle with this. So. When the kiwi was right in front of my person, I lowered the camera and simply absorbed all I could about his little cute face. And it was a cute face - just look at those little whiskers. These whiskers help them find their way in the dark. Because, our cute little kiwi friends are nocturnal birds.

A North Island Brown Kiwi

Some tasty North Island Kiwi Facts

A North Island Brown Kiwi Chick

-They are nocturnal. During the day, they rest in burrows, or other burrow kind of formations, such as a hollow base of a tree, a log, or a rock crevice.

-The male does the incubation of the egg

-Their numbers are declining at around 2-3% a year, mainly due to predation from stoats, dogs and feral cats.

-Eggs are laid during any month, but typically occur during June to November

-They feed by walking slowly along the ground, tapping on the ground. when the detect prey, they use their bill to probe the area. They are also known to plunge their beak into the ground.

Rotoroa Island

As well as getting to see a cute inny kiwi released, I got to explore Rotoroa Island. I had never been on the island, so was fun to poke around in its nooks and crannies. And what beautiful nook and crannies.

The island has a very interesting history. It was brought by the Salvation Army and used as a site for reform for people with alcohol and drug addictions. This was to became the first and longest running centre for people with addiction problems - having around 12,000 people come onto the island for that purpose.

The two bays, Ladys and Mans bay were named after the fact that there were seperate areas for people to bath. As the men washed in the nude. At the time, this was a bit shocking to the women. Hence on the island, there is Ladys Bay where the women used to bath and Mans Bay where the men skinny dipped.

The island has amazing modern infrastructure as well, with an exhibition centre, a gallery, and wait for it, flushing toilets and refill stations for your drink bottles. This is a far-cry from other islands, where the long drop is the modus operandi. I seriously kissed the earth and bowed in gratitude when I saw that flushing toilet. And yes, I can be a bit of a princess sometimes.

The Old Jailhouse.

And then there is the historical buildings. There is the old jailhouse - when i walked by, someone had gone in and was screaming. And to be frank, this scared the daylights out of me. Personally I would not step foot into these cells, but they may be good for a photo opportunity if you are into the macabre.

There is also a church and other historical buildings scattered around, including the The Superintendent's House, which was the lodgings of the most senior Salvation Army staff member. Now days, you can rent this spot and stay the night on the island. There are several other accommodation options on the island as well, which can all be rented.

Now, the island has left its role as a place for rehabilitating people, and is now a sanctuary for wildlife. Two takahe live on the island and at the time of my visit, they had a chick so were quite secretive. There are also tīeke, tui, pōpokotea (whitehead) flittering through the bush. Pāteke wander around at night, or snooze in the pond during the day.

Variable Oystercatcher in the Sun.

And while walking along the beautiful white sand beaches, you may see a New Zealand Dotterel racing along or a variable oystercatcher. I was very chuffed to see an oyster catcher with three fluffy awkward chicks following close behind. The chicks are one of the cutest I have ever seen - all long awkward legs and fluffy grey down.

There are many tracks to explore. These will take you around the island. There are some steep parts in these walks, but the views are very much worth the slog up hill. There are also picnic tables and benches scattered around, to have a breather or perhaps a picnic.

I feel like Rotoroa Island has something for everyone. Clear blue waters, for those who wish to swim. Hot sandy beaches, for the sunbathers, and cool tracks, for the trampers and birdwatchers. It is a place where you have plenty to see and do. I ended up spending the majority of my time dozing on the beach, watching dotterels and oystercatchers and I was a pig in muck.

Native Bee Burrows

I also found a whole cliff face covered in native bee burrows. As our native bees, do not build hives rather than have burrows. They are also non-aggressive, so you can get a little close like I did without worrying about being swarmed and having to go to the emergency department covered in bee stings.

Some info

How to get there: You can travel via Ferry to get to the island. This is run by Fullers 360. And is a 75 minute journey. You can also travel to the island via your own boat - but you will need to pay a docking fee. The ferry departs at 515pm, so be sure to arrive at the landing wharf before that. As it is an expensive water taxi home.

It is a predator free island. So you will have to scrub your boots before you come on shore. You will also need to make sure you have no stowaways in your bags, or on your boat if you are arriving on your own transport. This means no rats and stoats, no cats and ants.

Dogs are also not permitted on the island.

There are toilets and a water refill station. But there are not places to purchase food, so make sure you pack a lunch to bring with you. As well as snacks.

There is accommodation on the island. This needs to be booked before your arrival. There is no camping though. Accommodation options can be found on their website.

https://www.rotoroa.org.nz