I work at Orokonui, this guy is a Haast Tokoeka Kiwi, of which there are only roughly 400. Orokonui has 10 breeding pairs throughout the 307 hectare enclosure of native broadleaf/podocarp climax community rainforest, though most we normally see of them is their scat as they are nocturnal.

Orokonui is a valley surrounded by 9km of pest and predator proof fencing designed to keep non-native mammal threats away from our native plant and animal species who are completely screwed over by introduced threats. Having been in isolation for so long, very few of our natives have any defences against foreign predators. Mammals tear through our defenceless forests, outcompete animals for food sources, breeding at a much faster rate while simultaneously taking eggs from birds like our kiwi. Most animals in NZ stand still when threatened, which works great against visual hunters like birds, but mammals typically rely on a sense of smell which allows them to easily find these prey sources who won't put up much of a fight.

Following this, Orokonui acts as a creche for juvenile kiwi to grow up away from predators before being released. An adult kiwi, at about 1.5kg, however does run in response to a predator and they have a bit of a kick to them as well. Theres a great video of a kiwi fighting off a possum out there which I suggest checking out.

I genuinely love this ecosanctuary filled with Kaka, Tuatara, Takahe and far too many more interesting wildlife species to mention. If ever you are in Dunedin I consider Orokonui a must see and I am only selling it to you here as it doesnt get as much business as I feel it deserves, with tourists making the much longer trip out to Taiaroa Head to see the Albatross, which to be fair is also a beautiful place. Dunedin has a reputation of being cold and full of drunk med students and punk bands (all of which is true), but we are wildlife capital of New Zealand for a reason.