Saturday Morning With Jack Tame

Last week, a collaborative group of Enthusiastic Restoration Organisations got together on Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf. They were there to celebrate an inspirational project that commenced almost two decades ago: getting kiwi on the island.  I remember having many chats with the Late Sir Rob Fenwick and his wife Lady Jennie about making the island predator-free so that these birds (and other species) could be introduced.  And last week, it happened…   Ten birds (some the size of a moa!) were carefully taken from a nearby island (Pōnui) and shipped by barge to Waiheke. Pōnui got its kiwi (14 of them) in 1964 and these birds thrived there on the farm and in some forested areas, resulting in a current estimate of 1500 birds. (a huge density!)  The Chamberlin family looked after them well and allowed Save the Kiwi to muster the first lot of birds and take these to Waiheke.  It was a huge event with all the important organisations present: Save the Kiwi, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāi Tai ki Tāma