THE Māhoenui giant wētā is being saved from extinction by a unique breeding programme undertaken by the Ōtorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird Sanctuary.
“We have turned a species on the brink of extinction into a hundred little nymphs bouncing around in each of their individual lunch boxes,” general manager Jo Russell said at last week’s district council meeting.
“They have to be separated or they eat each other, which is not good.”
The kiwi house would not have been able to do it without the $2 million loan from the council, she said.
It is a significant achievement, to have turned around a species as endangered as the kākāpō, and the black stilt.
“So, I think we should celebrate the council investment.”
The wētā nymphs are in the process of being raised for release to the wild at Maungatautari later this year.
The aim of the programme was to breed 3000 for release over the next three-four years, which would hopefully lead to the species no longer being categorised as critically endangered, Jo said.
“We cannot thank the Ōtorohanga District Council enough for the loan which has enabled us to build a facility to carry out this work.”
Mayor Max Baxter acknowledged the “massive undertaking” by Jo and her team.
“It’s a rebuild and it’s challenging and it’s the reason why you sought the support of Steven Hamilton to help you through this, because it’s tough times.”
The Kiwi House and Stephen from Horwath HTL on December 19 following concerns that the kiwi house was not meeting the conditions of the loan.
This was also reflected as an audit management point resulting from the audit of the council’s June 30, 2023 annual report.
ŌDC engaged Horwath HTL to undertake a new business case for the kiwi house to address the concerns.
This business case will form the basis for a report to the council’s risk and assurance committee this month and the outcome may result in a recommendation to review the terms of the existing loan agreement.
Ōtorohanga Kiwi House Charitable Trust has drawn down the $2 million loan from ŌDC. It has also received $2 million from the Provincial Growth Fund. As part of the co-funding arrangement with ŌDC, the council loan was used first to fund the redevelopment project.
Trust chair Tim Jones said visitor numbers were on track for 55,000 for the half year.
“That’s pretty good, getting back to what it was pre-Covid – so that’s very encouraging,” he said.
“We are tracking along pretty well very close to budget.
Figures to the end of January show we are running a $20,000 cash deficit, very close to what we budgeted.
“These are our best months, the summer months and into autumn. The visitor numbers are better and so that’s when we make our money. Essentially more visitors equals more profit.”
The Kiwi House no longer required Government support for operating costs, Jo said.
“We are back to operating in a self-sufficient manner.
“We are not expecting to make a loss, our best financial months are coming.
“We are quite confident that against our budget we will be making a small profit – it won’t be huge.”
To take advantage of the resumed visitor flow the Kiwi House has, with support of the Ōtorohanga District Development Board grant, developed marketing tools for its new products as they come online.
“We are still in the process of setting up a new website and an online booking system that will include back-of-house tours as our previous system was not fit for our new experiences post redevelopment,” Jo said.
“We continue to work closely with Tourism NZ and Hamilton Waikato tourism to highlight our upcoming new products, and direct marketing to Inbound Tour Operators.
“We have hosted a number of international media productions throughout this period.”
In terms of the rebuild, Jo said the last stage of reconfiguring the Lockwood building on site into two commercial kitchens was under way.
They hoped to open the kitchens with stage one in early April.
Zone three earthworks for the wetland and kea enclosure were completed and the Kiwi House was awaiting final costs.
In reply to Cr Kit Jeffries’ question about the $17091.65 spent on repairs and maintenance, Jo said it was deferred maintenance from the Covid period that included replacement of nocturnal house growlights, kitchen taps, predator proof fence gate repairs and a replacement pump.
The only challenge to the predator-free status in the main park over the period were some mice incursions due to the construction work, she said.
The new concern was the potential of starling flocks to introduce avian flu to the collection, which had escalated plans to reduce and deter these populations, Jo said.
“As avian Influenza has now reached Antarctica, we are working closely with the Department of Conservation, the Zoo and Aquariums Association, and MPI to set up systems to identify outbreaks in the Maniapoto area early, remove fallen animals safely, and reduce large flocks or populations within urban and high-risk areas as a preventative measure,” she said.
