Facts about Haast tokoeka
A kiwi ranger holding Haast tokoeka
chick Kahu
Haast tokeka are one of New Zealand's rarest kiwi, together with the critically endangered rowi from Okarito, about 150 km north of Haast. They were defined as a separate sub-species from other southern tokoeka species in Fiordland and Stewart Island in 1993.
Over half of the Haast tokoeka population is found within a 11,400 ha area designated in 2000 as one of 5 national kiwi sanctuaries managed by the Department of Conservation.
They have a brown/grey plumage with a reddish tinge. The weight of adult birds ranges from around 3 kg for females and 2.3 kg for males. They have down-curved bills which can be from around 135 mm long for females and 110 mm long for males. Their legs and claws are pale-coloured.