The brown kiwi of the North Island was hatched in Pūkaha in May 2011, and its rare genetic traits result in white feathers instead of the standard brown.
According to the Wildlife Center, Manukura is regarded as a “great blessing” by the local Rangitāneo Wairarapa tribe and she sees her as a symbol of unity.
She even inspired Joy Cowley’s book, one of New Zealand’s most prolific children’s fiction writers, along with a series of plush toys and other souvenirs.
Kathy Houkamau, operations manager of Wairarapa Province, Ministry of Conservation, said: “In the past 1
The statement stated that Manukura’s caregiver noticed that she had not eaten or lost weight and was taken to a professional veterinarian in early December.
The veterinarian found unfertilized eggs in which the kiwi was unable to lay eggs. Although their operation was successful, she still needed more operations and her health continued to deteriorate in the following weeks.
Emily Court, general manager of Pukaha, said: “Manukura belongs to the Pūkaha family very much. We are honored to have Manukura help us tell the story of Aotearoa conservation.” The Wildlife Center has experienced it. Aotearoa is a Maori name in New Zealand.
Although white kiwis exist in the wild, they are considered very rare, so the chance of seeing kiwis in their natural habitat is very small.
According to the New Zealand Ministry of Environmental Protection, there are approximately 68,000 kiwis left, and 2% of unmanaged kiwis are lost every year. Threats include predatory animals such as small animals, dogs, cats and ferrets.
Manukura’s younger brother Mapuna survived, who was part of the Pūkaha captive breeding program.
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