First kiwi chick of 2008 released onto Maungatautari Ecological Reserve

25/10/2008 06:39:06 October 2008. More than 200 Maungatautari volunteers and supporters gathered in the southern enclosure on Saturday morning to welcome the first kiwi chick for 2008.

Kaumatua Wally Papa named the chick Te Piringa, meaning ‘joining together' before it was removed from its travelling container and introduced to the crowd.

Honourable Members of Parliament and strong supporters of the restoration project, Nania Mahuta and Mark Burton, were given the honour of placing Te Piringa in its burrow.

Predator free
"It was wonderful to be able to share this milestone with our volunteers, said Maungatautari Trust chief executive Jim Mylchreest. "And it's a real thrill to release a chick which will live its whole life in a predator free environment - it really makes you feel as though we are making progress in the fight against native wildlife extinction."

Te Piringa had been transferred to the artificial hatching facility at Kiwi Encounter in Rotorua a few weeks before hatching, and was then returned to Maungatautari.

Second chick due
It is the first chick for Maungatautari's three year old kiwi pair Robin and Horokio, their second fertile egg for this season is due to hatch in a few days time.

The sex of Te Piringa will not be known for a number of weeks.