Ingenuity makes kiwi’s beak functional

Wildlife vets have channelled television’s improvising character MacGyver when creating a set of braces for an injured kiwi’s beak.

A Haast tokoeka kiwi – one of New Zealand’s rarest breeds – was brought to Palmerston North’s Wildbase Hospital in May after it suffered a fractured beak.

Faced with the prospect of a tricky recovery, the vets looked for an out-of-the-box solution.

Wildbase veterinary resident Rebecca Webster said when they got the 9-year-old female kiwi, it had an overgrowth on its beak and an underlying fracture.

‘‘It was at the point we could not stabilise it with conventional techniques – we kind of had to brainstorm.’’

Webster said the bone was too fine to pin, so she decided to use a technique normally reserved for turtles.

Wildbase vets created a set of braces made out of putty, sewing hooks and rubber bands to pull the fracture together.

Webster said the No 8 wire solution had not been used on a kiwi.

‘‘[To] work with these animals you have to get inventive.’’

Hooks were put either side of the fracture and tied together with the bands. The kiwi had surgery to remove the growth in May and the braces were put on in June.

They were removed late last month and the kiwi is set to return home to one of New Zealand’s offshore islands this week.

Supervisor wildlife technician Pauline Nijman said the treatment had cost about $7000.

‘‘When she came here we were not sure if we were going to be able to salvage [the beak].

‘‘It probably does not look very stunning but it is pretty remarkable, compared to what she came in like. The beak has been remodelled and shaped down. Most importantly it is functioning.’’

Nijman said the kiwi was a ‘‘known breeder’’ and so it was particularly important to make sure she recovered.

Nationally, Haast tokoeka kiwi are considered in a critical state of endangerment with 400 left.

Nijman said it was special to be farewelling the bird.

‘‘We were treading water that we had never come across before. After four months of fingers crossed, it is extremely exciting to have a win.’’

PHOTO: FAIRFAX NZ Wildlife technician Jamie Park, left, and supervisor wildlife technician Pauline Nijman prepare to farewell a Haast tokoeka kiwi they have been taking care of for four months. Inset: The kiwi’s beak brace.