Kiwi, our national symbol, are under serious threat and National Kiwi Hatchery’s Emma Bean is integral to the species recovery programme that will help ensure they survive.
The UK-born “honorary Kiwi” has worked at New Zealand’s largest kiwi hatchery for over 13 years and in that time she has seen the 500th, 1000th, 1500th and most recently the 2000th chicks hatch.
The National Kiwi Hatchery manager, or tumu kaitiaki kiwi, will speak to Catalyst Trust on Tuesday, September 15 about its Operation Nest Egg kiwi conservation work and the importance of species recovery programmes in retaining New Zealand’s biodiversity.
She will explain how to successfully hatch kiwi chicks and what unfeathered Kiwis can do to help ensure kiwi species’ survival.
The National Kiwi Hatchery is hosted At Rainbow’s Springs’ Nature Park in Rotorua and hatches more than 120 chicks each year, some 75% of all kiwi hatched in purpose-built hatching facilities nationwide.
Fittingly, the talk will be held at Queenstown’s own Kiwi Birdlife Park, which has worked extensively with Emma and her team for many years. “Conservation is all about collaboration,” says park manager Paul Kavanagh. Koha collected at the door will go to Kiwi Birdlife Park’s ‘breed for release’ programme for kiwi, one of 20 native species they’re working with.
Tuesday, September 15, 5.30 to 7 PM, Kiwi Birdlife Park (upper Brecon Street). Doors open 5.15 PM. Registration on Catalyst Trust’s Eventbrite page is required as seats are limited and for contact tracing purposes. Any necessary updates will be notified to registrants and posted on our Facebook page. Please observe level II requirements, particularly 1 m distancing. The bar will be open.