Our flightless national icon is in jeopardy. Although numbers of kiwi in protected areas are gradually improving, 95% of kiwi outside these safe zones simply don't survive. Save the Kiwi and their Suzuki Jimnys work alongside iwi, conservation groups, communities and the Te Papa Atawhai Department of Conservation to reverse the decline of the national kiwi population and create more kiwi-safe habitats throughout Aotearoa.
Find out more about Jimny joining the fight to save the Kiwi.
I’m Craig Montgomery, and I’m a Poutiaki Kiwi (Ranger) with Save the Kiwi. I get to drive the Jimny around Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, a Save the Kiwi kōhanga site in Pukeatua.
The Save the Kiwi's Kōhanga Kiwi initiative works by attempting to increase kiwi population growth by taking kiwi eggs out of the wild, incubating, hatching, and raising them in captivity. The kiwi are then released into predator-free kōhanga sites where they'll spend the rest of their days finding a mate, breeding and living without fear of predators.
No, but recently a Jimny Sierra joined our aid efforts on Maungatautari. This is the second on our fleet, with the original Jimny still in good nick after 10 years on the mountain.
I am stoked with the performance of the new kid on the block. I really put the Jimny through hell when I first got it, I tried pushing it to the limit and it wouldn't give up. It's receptiveness to the terrain and conditions is awesome, I can trust it to manage the landscape and safely transport kiwi with no problems.
There's also an unspoken coolness that comes with being a Jimny driver. It's a cool vehicle that is easily identifiable, it has a real character. Jimny drivers have their own little community, we acknowledge each other on the road with a wave or a nod. It's a good feeling to see another Jimny and it's driver.
The Jimny continues to transform how kiwi can be monitored and transported through the Maunga's wild landscape for Save the Kiwi. The vehicle fits four people or can transport eight kiwis no problem. And while I have had experience with heavier 4WD vehicles, the Jimny can outperform them with ease. It's size, strength, and manual gearbox with low 4WD is a game changer.
It is also a dream to keep clean. It's a really easy vehicle to wash, I even enjoy cleaning it. This may seem like a simple thing but less time spent here means more time spent monitoring kiwi, exploring the mountain or moving between sites.