North Island brown kiwi

Scientific name: Apteryx mantelli

One of five recognized species of kiwi, the North Island brown kiwi is found in a limited range in New Zealand. These birds’ primary threat is predation, particularly from dogs, cats, and stoats. Habitat loss and disease are also threats but likely aren’t driving factors behind population declines.

Operation Nest Egg was introduced in 1995 and involves removing kiwi eggs from the wild and reintroducing the birds when they are too large to be targeted by predators. This initiative alone has been enough to help populations in these managed sites increase by 12.5% per year. Habitat management has also taken the North Island brown kiwi from endangered to vulnerable.