Kiwi Burrow Tours

Written By Kim Manunui

Term 4 saw the return of the Kiwi Contact program, funded by Contact Energy and supported by the Department of Conservation. Kids Greening Taupō student leaders and select students from local schools are able to participate in a unique learning experience touring the Crombie Lockwood Save the Kiwi Burrow located on the Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary. This term, three groups of student leaders, along with groups from Hilltop School, Mountview School, Taupō Intermediate, Taupō Primary School, Tauhara Primary School, and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa I Te Reo Ki Tuwharetoa had the opportunity to learn all about our unique national bird. They were able to watch eggs being candled and learn about the growth of kiwi inside the egg, see baby kiwi have their health checks, and then meet a baby kiwi and see it up close.

The tour teaches students about the Save the Kiwi Operation Nest Egg programme. This programme involves monitoring kiwi in the wild and removing their eggs from their nest, so that they ca be incubated and monitored. The chicks are hatched in captivity and raised to a size that will allow them to fight off predators. Without this intervention less than 5% of kiwi survive their first year of life.

The students also learn interesting facts about kiwi and about the introduced mammalian predators that are so dangerous to them. As the tour is inside the predator proof sanctuary, students also learn about the specially designed fence, and get to see a variety of other birds. One group were lucky to see a takahe stroll across the path in front of them!

We really appreciate having this relationship with Save the Kiwi and The Crombie Lockwood Kiwi Burrow through the Kiwi Contact programme. We hope it continues in the future to allow more local students the opportunity to get up close with our special native bird and to learn about how to protect it.

Kim Manunui

Hi, I’m Kim and I work with a great team to help individuals, as well as small and not so small businesses get their message, product and services to the world using digital media and creating wonderful websites that don’t cost the earth.

I was born in Canada, and grew up around Vancouver and the mountains of British Columbia. My love of pristine environments led me to New Zealand and eventually to the mountains, lakes and rivers of the central North Island which is home. My family’s heritage is here, and it’s from here that Korio traverses the planet.

The digital world is never static and neither are we.

And I say ‘we’ because I work with an awesome group of talented people who I gather together as required to complete a project.  Whatever your business, not-for-profit or individual needs are we gather the best team to get the job done.

Collaboratively we are creative, share sustainable values and work hard for great outcomes because that’s the buzz of satisfaction that drives us.

If you have an audience and market to reach, we can make that happen. Creative design, words that work and smart behind the scenes stuff that cuts through the online noise. We’ll design your website and then build it. We’ll manage the content as well as all your hosting needs. We can handle your online advertising so you get noticed,
and we’ll manage your social media presence so you get the clicks, likes and engagement to grow your business. All within the budget you set, because none of this needs to cost the earth.  And the job doesn’t stop when your website goes live. We are your virtual business partner.

https://www.korio.co.nz
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