Kia ora from Kiwi Park Queenstown! As we welcome the start of spring, there’s excitement in the air with the arrival of breeding season. Here’s the latest on our wildlife, featuring new arrivals, breeding efforts, and updates on our reptile friends.

Kea

We’re thrilled to have two new female kea joining our park. Whero (30, from Auckland) and Mamakau (9, from Invercargill) are settling into their new surroundings. Whero, a strong-willed and independent bird, has already been introduced to our male kea and is starting to bond with our team and visitors. Mamakau will soon be introduced to the kea habitat next week, making four kea in total.

On top of that, the new kea aviary is in full swing, with construction progressing smoothly. We’re eagerly anticipating its opening, which is currently scheduled for December. This new space will provide our kea with a larger, more engaging environment, while giving visitors an up-close look at these amazing birds.

Pāteke (Brown Teal)

On the pond, we have three adorable fluffy pāteke ducklings! They will stay with us until they’re 12 weeks old, at which point they’ll be transferred to Peacock Springs in Christchurch and later released into the wild in Fiordland. Earlier this year, a few of our staff had the privilege of watching previous pāteke releases in their natural habitat – watch here

Whio (Blue Duck)

In exciting news, one of our female whio has laid six eggs! The eggs will be incubated for 36 days, though we will pull them after 12 days to ensure the best chances of success. We’ll be candling them twice a week to monitor development. Once the ducklings hatch, they’ll stay here for a few days before heading to Christchurch and eventually being released at Hokitika.

Reptiles

The warmer weather has brought out our adult tuatara, who are becoming more active as we approach spring. Both species of skink at the park have also been spotted mating, so we’re hopeful for some baby skinks soon!

Kiwi

This month, we sent two of our kiwi, Rawiri and Bear, to Willowbank in Christchurch to form new breeding pairs. This leaves Tawahi with K2 all to herself for now. Our outdoor kiwi breeding pair, Anzac and Atawhai, have more space as well, and we’re hopeful they’ll breed again this summer. Fingers crossed for some kiwi chicks in the coming months!

Kākā

Our new kākā breeding pair is showing all the signs of settling into adulthood We’re hopeful this means we might see some kākā chicks this season!

Park Improvements

We’ve also added a new swing just outside our kiwi house, crafted entirely from fallen pine trees within the park! It’s a fun and sustainable addition for visitors to enjoy as they explore the park.

That’s all for this month’s update from Kiwi Park Queenstown. We’re looking forward to welcoming new visitors and watching our wildlife thrive in the months ahead!

Ngā mihi nui,

The Kiwi Park Team