North Island brown kiwi (western taxon)

Kiwi were first reintroduced to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in 2005, gifted from Ngati Hikairo ki Tongariro and other gifting iwi, generous organisations, and community groups. Four one-month old chicks, two males and two females were reintroduced. These birds were the first kiwi to live within the ancient forest on Maungatautari in over 100 years. A further 70+ kiwi were reintroduced to Maungatautari through the Maungatautari Restoration Plan, gifted from a number of generous iwi from across the North Island and from DOC and other conservation partners.

In 2017, Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari became a kohanga kiwi site in partnership with Save the Kiwi. As a kohanga site, the fenced sanctuary enables young kiwi to be protected from predation by introduced predators, particularly while they are young and more vulnerable to predation from introduced animals like stoats. 333 chicks were released onto Maungatautari through the kohanga kiwi programme with Save the Kiwi. Maungatautari has become a stronghold for North Island brown kiwi of the western taxon with the population on the maunga now estimated to be over 3,000 birds.

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is a source site for wild kiwi populations. This is a partnership between Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, Ngati Koroki Kahukura, Ngati Haua, Raukawa, and Waikato, Save the Kiwi, and Pukeatua School. 273 kiwi were translocated to Taranaki Mounga, Tongariro and Wellington (The Capital Kiwi Project) in 2025.

Without the efforts of Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari staff, volunteers, local iwi, landowners, partners, and supporters over the last 20 years to keep the sanctuary pest-free, the growth of the kiwi population on the maunga and transfer of kiwi simply wouldn't be possible.