RARE WHITE KIWI DIES AFTER SURGERY

A rare white kiwi that became a tourist attraction and inspired a book and a range of soft toys has died in New Zealand.

Ma n u k u r a , a female North Island brown kiwi that hatched in 2011 and gained national fame for her entirely white plumage, died after surgery to remove a trapped egg.

Emily Court, general manager at the Pukaha wildlife centre where the bird lived, told a news website that staff had noticed she was losing weight and not eating earlier this month.

Vets operated to remove the infertile egg, which she was unable to lay, but it was not enough to save the bird’s life.

The bird was an ambassador for the wildlife centre, conservation and tourism.