Media release
09 February 2007

Meet a kiwi at Wellington Zoo

From Saturday 10 February, Wellington Zoo is giving visitors the opportunity to meet Tahi the one legged kiwi, the Zoo’s Manager Life Sciences, Katja Geschke announced today.

‘At 1.15pm each day, Tahi will be in a specially built encounter area at the entrance of Te Ao Maahina, The Twilight - Wellington Zoos nocturnal house. He will be accompanied by one of Wellington Zoos roving guides who will be there to answer questions.’

‘Tahi is an advocate for his species. He lost his leg after it was caught in a hunting trap in the bush. Despite best efforts, vets were unable to save it, so his leg was amputated just below the knee joint.’

‘Tahi’s is a very important story that we need to tell. Tahi is living proof of the damage human kiwis can do to kiwi, our national bird. However, he is strong, healthy and perfectly capable of getting around on his one leg.’

‘Bringing animals and people closer together is one of the main aims of Wellington Zoo. Giving people the opportunity to get up close to Tahi means that they have a personal experience with a kiwi and this means that the conservation message will resonate with them.’

Tahi is a North Island brown kiwi of which there are approximately 30,000 in New Zealand. North Island brown kiwis are in serious decline.

Note to editors: Tahi’s first appearance will be this Saturday at 1.15pm. Please note that the encounter will take place in the Twilight where conditions replicate the New Zealand bush at night. Lighting in this area is dim.

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