ZOO KIWI MAY BE FITTED WITH LEG LIKE A SOLDIER

Grey River Argus, 25 August 1949, Page 8

ZOO KIWI MAY BE FITTED WITH LEG LIKE A SOLDIER

AUCKL\N D, A kiwi, from Opotixi, which recently had its i’ghc foot ampuialtd, and which, is to become a member of the Auckland ?.oc, has been elevated to the ranxs of war wounded. If an offer received at the Town Hall from the Service nen’" Re-esiablish-ment League Is put into effect, the bird might shortly wear an artificial limb made by the League. JTiis was reported m a letter received by the Deputy-Mayor of Auckland. Mr J. L. Coakley, who is also chairman of the City Council’s Parks Commß’.ee. Mr Bennett, Manager of the Artificial Limb Department of the Auckland Branch of the League, made tne offer of assistance for the bird. He expressed mte/cst in the fact that the Department of Internal Affairs had authorised the Zoo to keep the Kiwi, and he likened it to the Second World War soldiers who had borrowed, the name of the Kiwi species. “There has been a large 1 number of kiwis fitted with artificial limbs, after having suffered war injuries,” he said, “and it would give me great pleasure to fit a real kiwi.” Mr Bennett said he hoped to be able to help the Zoo authorities to “put the unfortunate bird back on its feet.”

The- Deputy Mayor replied that the kiwi, which would not arrive at Auckland for several days, now had a cork on the stump of the leg. When it arrived at the Zoo the League’s expert assistance might be very useful. No doubt the League had fitted limbs to kiwis in a far worse condition than the bird from Opotiki.

The bird, which is to come to the zoo, had its foot amputated after it stumbled into an oppossum trap in the Opotiki district. It has since been cared for by Mr J. D. Clark, chemist, of CpotiKi, who offered it to the zoo. Authority to accept it was received this week from the Department of Internal A f airs, but the conditions under which it may be kept have not jet been received.