One of Queenstown’s most treasured residents officially has a name. Kiwi Park welcomed a rare brown kiwi chick on March 26, one of just two successful brown kiwi chicks hatched through New Zealand’s captive breeding programme in the past year. On Monday, a traditional Māori naming and blessing ceremony was held at the park with local iwi, where he was given the moniker Tuku Iho, which means “handed down through generations’’. The name was chosen by the Kiwi Park whānau to honour the park’s 40th anniversary this year, and the conservation legacy established by its founders Dick and Noeleen Wilson, whose grandson, Richard, is the current general manager. The Wilson family has championed the protection of New Zealand’s native wildlife for more than four decades, with kiwi conservation remaining at the heart of Kiwi Park’s mission — Tuku Iho’s name reflects that commitment, and the responsibility of passing conservation from one generation to the next. Dubbed ‘‘Tuku’’ or ‘’Little Man’’ by Kiwi Park staff, wildlife curator Todd Jenkinson said his arrival was something the team was “incredibly proud” of. “The successful breeding and rearing of a kiwi chick requires a huge amount of dedication, and this result reflects the outstanding care provided by our wildlife team.” He said Tuku’s father, Anzac, completed the full 78-day incubation before hatching, then took on the role of rearing him. But Tuku represented something much bigger than a single breeding success. “He is part of the ongoing legacy of Kiwi Park’s founders. “Every chick hatched and successfully raised at Kiwi Park is a continuation of their vision, and Tuku is a wonderful reminder of the lasting impact Dick and Noeleen have had on conservation in Queenstown and beyond.”
