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Cee Cee - Source: ONE News -
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Drivers are being urged to watch out for wildlife after the road
death of a rare South Island kiwi.
Cee Cee, a successful breeding male and a star of the Kiwi Recovery
Programme, was struck by a vehicle and killed on the road to
Okarito Lagoon, near Franz Josef in South Westland.
The critically endangered rowi kiwi is one of New Zealand's special native species. There are just 350 remaining and in this small population, 13-year-old Cee Cee was a particular favourite.
"He was pretty important, a real character," say Department of
Conservation staff.
In the last couple of years he had found a mate and fathered four
chicks. He would have probably lived until he was 80 and in that
time would have produced another 50 chicks.
Rowi breed between June and February and usually lay one egg per year. Both the male and the female rowi take it in turns to look after the egg, while in most other kiwi species only the male does this. Most pairs remain together for their entire lives and birds form close family bonds.
Cee Cee was one of the first raised in captivity and when he was released he was fitted with a transmitter so staff could track his movements and make sure he was OK.
Rowi kiwi are confined to South Okarito Forest and its proximity, and the forest has been designated one of New Zealand's five special kiwi sanctuaries. Cee Cee's territory was on both sides of the road leading to Okarito and he would often cross it and forage nearby for food.
"It looks like he was hit by a vehicle, got to the side of the road and died of exposure," says Duncan Kay from DOC.
The department has put up signs warning motorists about the kiwi, however they keep getting stolen. DOC is now looking at painting kiwi on the road so people know to slow down.
"They have enough things to worry about in the wild, they don't need to add a human element as well," says Okarito resident Richard Saunders.
In the meantime, motorists are being asked to take care and DOC staff are hoping Cee Cee's offspring will continue his good work.
Click here for some facts about rowi kiwi
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