Members of the New Zealand league team met their namesake at Auckland Zoo yesterday as part of a wider campaign to raise awareness for endangered kiwi.
Four Kiwis players met the zoo's newest chicks.
"It was a different experience, I couldn't believe how fragile they were," said prop Adam Blair.
The Save Kiwi Month campaign, held by Kiwis for Kiwi trust, ran various awareness raising events throughout October. Executive director Michelle Impey said it was more important than ever to drive awareness for the endangered species.
"The reality is that unless we do something about it now, within a couple of generations of humans [kiwi] could be completely extinct."
She said having the league team involved was beneficial in raising awareness.
The Kiwis take on Toa Samoa in the Four Nations in Whangarei on Saturday.
Statistics on kiwi
There are about 70,000 kiwi in New Zealand.
95% of kiwi chicks don't survive to breeding age (3 or 4 years old).
About 27 kiwi die each week.
2% of the kiwi population dies each year.
With predator control, 50% to 60% of kiwi can survive to breeding age.
By Jess Pullar
