A living ark
Little spotted kiwi
Little spotted kiwi. Photo: Peter Daniel
Common name: little spotted kiwi
Maori name: kiwi-pukupuku
Scientific name: Apteryx owenii
Status: endemic, range restricted
Smallest of the kiwi species, size of a chicken; grey flecked.
Surprisingly assertive, with a keen sense of smell.
Was extinct on the mainland since 1875; release at Karori Sanctuary in 2000 returned little spotted kiwi to the mainland for the first time in over 100 years; 40 released in total.
Breeding successfully - population circa 100.
Heard and sometimes seen on Sanctuary by Night tours.
More kiwi information
Little spotted kiwi factsheet (76kb, pdf)
Returning kiwi to Karori Sanctuary (written 2001, 21kb, pdf)
Frodo's big day out (article in Dominion Post 2002, 423 kb, pdf)
When is a kiwi not a kiwi - a Christchurch Citizen article (written 2002, 25kb, pdf)
Hear a kiwi call
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