Gift of kiwis to U.S. criticised

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32959, 4 July 1972, Page 14

Gift of kiwis to U.S. criticised

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, July 3.

New Zealand people did not stand to gain anything from the Government’s decision to give two male kiwis to the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., the director of the Auckland Zoo (Mr D. A. Wood) said tonight.

“There has been no indication that Washington is sending any animals in return for this gift, which is worth thousands of dollars to overseas zoos,” said Mr Wood. "If the kiwis could be exchanged between the Auckland Zoo and the Washington Zoo, there would be a great likelihood of Auckland’s receiving valuable animals in return, but this zoo is not permitted to send kiwis overseas—only the Government can.”

Mr Wood said that it was unfair that the Auckland Zoo should be given the male kiwis to care for and acclimatise to zoo conditions, only to have them sent away. While this continued there was no chance of the kiwis breeding at the zoo. Male kiwis were scarce, he said, and the loss of the two males would leave the Auckland Zoo with one male and seven females.

The gift of the kiwis was

announced today by the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Sir Keith Holyoake). The two birds, which will leave Auckland by air on July 17, will join two females which Sir Keith Holyoake presented to the zoo during a visit to the United States in 1968.

The Washington Zoo hopes its present birds will be mated with the two newcomers and subsequently one of the breeding pairs will be sent to the New York Zoological Society’s Bronx Zoo.

The two male kiwis were found during a North Island land-clearing operation and are at present being cared for at the Auckland Zoo.