A new hatching season has begun at the Crombie Lockwood Kiwi Burrow and, according to the brokerage and main sponsor of the facility, it is expecting up to 80 chicks to boost the iconic New Zealand bird’s population.

Crombie Lockwood has partnered with non-profit Kiwis for kiwi, in working for the conservation of the endangered species. The partnership enabled the opening of the Kiwi Burrow in 2019, where eggs are incubated, hatched, and brooded to ensure better survival of the next generation of birds.

According to Crombie Lockwood, only one out of 20 kiwi chicks in the wild will survive to adulthood due to predators such as rats and stoats. By taking in eggs from the wild and providing the chicks with a safe environment for the first few weeks of their lives, the chance of reaching adulthood is elevated to around 65%.

The brokerage added that the facility is currently expanding as it approaches its first anniversary of operations. A total of 30 kiwi have been hatched at the facility, and 22 have been released into the wild. 

The first chick of the 2020 season hatched on September 15, and it was named “Whetū”, which means “star” in Māori.

“Kiwi are absolute stars in our mind and pivotal to our identity as New Zealanders. We want the species to thrive and hope that this chick has a really bright future,” said Alison Oldridge, Crombie Lockwood sponsorship and events manager.

“It is hugely exciting to support kiwi conservation and see what impact the Kiwi Burrow is having. We feel really proud to be involved and look forward to welcoming many more new chicks at the Burrow in the coming months.”