From Wairakei to Wellington

‘‘We are very excited as these chicks are second generation Rimutaka birds.’’

Three kiwi chicks have been returned to the Rimutaka Forest Park near Wainuiomata.

The return of North Island brown chicks is a major event in the Rimutaka Forest Park Trust’s commitment to building a self sustaining wild kiwi population in the Wellington region.

They have been ‘‘hanging out’’ at the Wairakei Sanctuary predator free Kiwi Creche, north of Taupo, Trust spokesperson Melody Mclaughlin said.

‘‘They have been gaining weight and are now at the 1200 grams necessary to protect themselves from stoats.’’

’’Since the first birds were released in the Rimutaka Forest Park in 2006 and 2009 the population has slowly increased to an estimated 120 birds calling the Southern Rimutakas home.

‘‘We are very excited as these chicks are second generation Rimutaka birds, their parents having been born wild in the park,’’ Mclaughlin said.

Volunteer trappers and trap maintenance crew ensured the pest trapping operation was successfully maintained and continued to provide a safe haven for the birds to return to, she said.

‘‘Two of these young kiwi will be named by people sponsoring their release,’’ sponsorship coordinator Rosemary Thompson said.

Easily accessible from Wellington and popular with trampers and hunters the 22,000 hectare Rimutaka Forest Park encompasses much of the Rimutaka Range.

See rimutakatrust.org.nz