Staff mourn loss of one-of-a-kind kiwi
A rare white kiwi, hatched in captivity, and which inspired children’s books and toys has died.
Manukura, a North Island brown kiwi, bucked the trend when she hatched, on May 1, 2011, with white feathers.
The bird had a rare genetic trait carried by both parents, which staff at Pu¯kaha National Wildlife Centre at Mt Bruce, in Wairarapa, did not know about before her birth.
Conservation Department Wairarapa operations manager Kathy Houkamau said the bird, who died on Sunday, would be missed.
“Over the past 10 years, she delighted multitudes of people and in her own quiet way shone a spotlight on the precarious plight of kiwi in the wild.
“She was a fantastic ambassador for Pu¯kaha, kiwi, conservation and tourism in Wairarapa and we are all very sad that she has passed.”
Kiwi children’s author Joy Cowley wrote about her in Manukura, the White Kiwi. “I enjoyed making the connection between Manukura’s ‘specialness’ and every child’s uniqueness”, Cowley said.
Although they can exist in the wild, a white kiwi is considered so rare, seeing one in its natural habitat is highly unlikely.
Pu¯kaha general manager Emily Court said Manukura’s carers noticed she was losing weight and not eating earlier this month.
Vets subsequently operated to remove an infertile egg, which was unable to be passed naturally.
More surgery was required to remove her oviduct and most of her left ovary.
The surgeries reportedly went well but were not enough to save the kiwi, whose health continued to deteriorate.