FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2022

CONTACT:      
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Public Relations
619-685-3291

WEBSITE:     
sdzwa.org

NEWS RELEASE

North Island Brown Kiwi Chick Successfully Hatched at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Hatching Is a First for the Safari Park, Helping Contribute to the Conservation of this Species

SAN DIEGO (July 7, 2022) – San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has achieved a conservation milestone with the hatching of a North Island brown kiwi—the first time this species has hatched at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The male chick hatched on June 13, and brings valuable genetic diversity to the very small brown kiwi population in North America. Wildlife care specialists will monitor the chick’s diet and weight gain for the next several weeks, and they report that the young kiwi is doing well.

            “We are very excited over the hatching of this chick,” said Andrew Stehly, curator of birds, San Diego Zoo Safari Park. “Northern Island brown kiwis are notoriously difficult to breed in human care, and this is the first time we have hatched this species at the Safari Park.” Stehly added, “While it is a success for our dedicated team of wildlife care specialists, more importantly, this hatching allows us to learn more about the North Island brown kiwi, further contributing to the conservation efforts for this species.”

            Native to New Zealand, the brown kiwi is a flightless bird about the size of a chicken. Not able to fly up into trees to nest, it makes it home in burrows in the ground. The brown kiwi is mostly nocturnal, emerging from its burrow at night to feed on worms and other invertebrates. Female and male kiwis typically mate for life; and after conception, the female lays a very large egg that is more than one-fifth of her body weight—one of the largest in proportion to body size of any bird in the world. After the egg is laid, the male incubates the egg for nearly 75 to 85 days until the chick hatches. Once the egg hatches, the parents abandon the chick and it is on its own.  

            This male chick was hatched to parents who were paired for the first time through a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), designed to help maintain a healthy assurance population of this species. The adult male initially incubated the egg, then at the recommendation of the SSP, wildlife care specialists removed the egg from the nest and placed it in an incubator for almost two weeks, carefully monitoring it for signs of pipping—the process in which the chick starts to break through the shell. Lacking an egg tooth, the chick began kicking its way out of the shell and fully emerged with shaggy feathers, looking like a miniature version of its parents. Like all kiwi chicks, this chick did not eat for a few days after hatching, as it received its nourishment from a large reserve of yolk in its abdomen.

           The kiwi is the national icon of New Zealand. There are five species of kiwi, and they are protected by law in their native country. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species lists the North Island brown kiwi as Vulnerable. Despite having legal protection, kiwi numbers are declining—mostly due to predation by non-native species, including dogs and cats. While the birds are highly adaptive to their environment, 95 percent of all kiwi chicks are killed before they reach the age of 6 months; and every 2 years, the kiwi population decreases by about 10 percent. But all is not doom and gloom for this bird. New Zealand has a kiwi recovery program, and people living near kiwi areas have learned to keep their dogs leashed and to slow their cars when they see a kiwi caution sign on the road. A conservation initiative called Operation Nest Egg collects eggs from kiwi nests and raises chicks until they are large enough to defend themselves against predators.

            San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance supports kiwi conservation in many ways including developing techniques in the lab to identify individual kiwis by their DNA, and ultrasound procedures are used to monitor growth of ovarian follicles to estimate egg-laying time. By monitoring egg development, researchers hope to discover ways to improve fertility and survival of eggs until they hatch. By supporting San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, individuals are allies in saving and protecting species like the kiwi, and other wildlife worldwide.

            The Safari Park is celebrating its 50th anniversary—50 years of connecting people to wildlife, all while creating life-changing moments. Guests are invited to join in the celebration all summer long and experience amazing wildlife, exciting safari experiences, entertainment, culinary delights and special merchandise offerings. Every visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park helps San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance take another step toward achieving its mission of saving animals and plants worldwide, and creating a world where all life thrives. For more information visit, sdzsafaripark.org. #SDZSafariPark50.

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About San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance 

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit international conservation leader, committed to inspiring a passion for nature and working toward a world where all life thrives. The Alliance empowers people from around the globe to support their mission to conserve wildlife through innovation and partnerships. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance supports cutting-edge conservation and brings the stories of their work back to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park—giving millions of guests, in person and virtually, the opportunity to experience conservation in action. The work of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance extends from San Diego to eco-regional conservation “hubs” across the globe, where their expertise and assets—including the renowned Wildlife Biodiversity Bank—are able to effectively align with hundreds of regional partners to improve outcomes for wildlife in more coordinated efforts. By leveraging these skills in wildlife care and conservation science, and through collaboration with hundreds of partners, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has reintroduced more than 44 endangered species to native habitats. Each year, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s work reaches over 1 billion people in 150 countries via news media, social media, their websites, educational resources and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers television programming, which is in children’s hospitals in 13 countries. Success is made possible by the support of members, donors and guests to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, who are Wildlife Allies committed to ensuring all life thrives. 

Link includes:

• B-roll of North Island brown kiwi chick at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
• Photos of North Island brown kiwi chick at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Photo credit: Ken Bohn, July 4, 2022, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.