- Conservation status
- In some trouble
Not to be confused with a furry fruit of the same name, the kiwi is Aotearoa’s national icon and one – actually, five – of our all-time favourite taonga species. Kiwi are nocturnal and famously secretive which explains why most people have never seen one in the wild (let alone at the zoo). But because kiwi are flightless, they’re also one of New Zealand’s most vulnerable species.
Campaign Manager
Team Kiwi
Kia ora! I’m the North Island brown kiwi, and on behalf of me and my cuzzies – the roroa/great spotted, kiwi pukupuku/little spotted, tokoeka, and rowi – I’m asking you to vote KIWI as Bird of the Century.
If you haven’t heard of me... um, have you been living under a rock? Nah, it’s probably because even though there are over 5 million of you Kiwis, I bet not many of you have met me or any of my cousins in person.
By the way, I think it’s pretty cool that you put my face on your money, sell stuffed toys that look like me, use my name to represent yourself internationally, and shoot lasers out of my eyes. Gutted that flag didn’t win, actually. Must’ve been rigged.
As far as national icons go, I guess I’m pretty low-key. I don’t ask for much, but winning Bird of the Century would be pretty sweet. My cousins and I, plus our friends at Save the Kiwi who are backing us this year, want to make sure that we’re still around for the next 100 years – and beyond.
So please. Vote KIWI for Bird of the Century #votekiwi
Tēnā rawa atu koe.
- Share your vote
