People and Kiwis

Since the first Maori settlers arrived in New Zealand, Kiwis have been chased by them and at the same time of introduced mammals (especially dogs) on a large scale. Even the Maori Kiwis displaced them from many regions.  The extinction of the Zwergkiwis in the North Island was caused by the Maori.

The Kiwi-hunt is suitable to Maori’s specific tactics, which included the imitation of the calls.  Kiwis were hunted mainly for their meat, but also because of the feathers that had significance as jewellery.  As the white settlers reached New Zealand, the situation deteriorated again for the Kiwis.  In the 19^th Century they exported to Europe, kiwi feathers, since they were used as stocking clothes.

Stuffed kiwis are a growing popularity among collectors. Above all, the whites brought dogs, cats, foxes and martens (weasel and stoat) for hunting. Sun Kiwis have been eradicated in the east and north of the South Island and in coastal regions of the North Island completely.

Refuges remain in the Fiordland, the Tongariro region, North Auckland Peninsula and Stewart Iceland. The hunting of Kiwis was banned in 1896 amd since 1921 Kiwis have been protected.  Kiwis now no longer are directly threatened. 

In the 1990s, a single runaway shepherd killed in the forest of Waitangi within days 500 kiwis, which was more than half the local population. It is estimated that to be killed on the mainland, 94 percent of young Kiwis are killed by cats or weasels before they are 100 days old.

All five kiwi species are maintained by the IUCN as endangered. As the Kiwis are the national bird of New Zealand, they have a high profile.   There have recently been increased efforts for their protection.  Vulnerable populations are placed on islands that previously have been cleared of cats, rats and other potential dangers.

The Brown Kiwi (Apteryx Mantelli) lives in the North Island, of which there are only about 35,000.  It is therefore classified as endangered. The population of the Okarito kiwis Apteryx ROWI have numbers of only 250 and is acutely threatened by extinction.
The term “Kiwi”

In New Zealand, Kiwis are a national bird of such importance that they refer to the inhabitants of the country as “Kiwis”.  Derived from it for example, is the bank, Kiwibank, or the state pension fund of New Zealand is KiwiSaver.  The best known example, the kiwifruit is the real “Chinese gooseberry” (Actinidia deliciosa