Through our restored ponds and wetland, and great staff efforts, we have monitored and protected our kiwi’ at The Landing during a summer drought.
In late January, during a routine pest control night shoot over half of the property, we sighted close to 50 kiwi, including chicks. This was an incredible night’s expedition and was an encouraging start to the year.
Over the course of the summer months, it became increasingly hard for kiwi to find food, with the unusually dry weather making previously plentiful food sources scarce. The depletion of local habitat food sources meant young kiwi were often pushed out of their territory and becoming stranded. In a team effort, staff were told to keep an eye out for stranded kiwi . Shallow water dishes were spread around the property to allow them to stay hydrated throughout the dry days. These water stations were placed in areas far away from natural water supplies so the kiwi would have access to water wherever they were on the property.
Overall, this summer was excellent for kiwi sightings, with some walking tours seeing up to 30. They were very active at night, looking for food, and they often ventured into the vineyard as well, searching for worms and bugs. We will continue to actively monitor and protect the population that live at The Landing.
