On Thursday morning I went to New Plymouth airport - flying to Queenstown. I met a lady there I knew - who was waiting to pick up a kiwi! He was flying from Whangarei to spend a couple of days in New Plymouth. Sparky is a Kiwi ambassador travelling around schools and other public forums to promote wildlife conservation. He lives at the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre and came to the Centre as a young bird in 2002. He only has one leg and this leg injury was caused by a “Gin trap” that had been set on the ground to trap possums. I was so excited to see this Kiwi up close and personal as it is an opportunity not many people have.
What a great experience - and a lovely photo of him. He seems to have adapted well to a life with one leg. It must be a powerful message to the school kids when they see him like that.
@islambad Yes it was certainly special - I was so lucky! @mv_wolfie Thanks :-) @dide I agree - the timing was perfect - so lucky. @dawnee@777margo@haskar Thank you for commenting - appreciated @kali66 I think his handler said he is 8 years old now, and has been doing the rounds for a long time - very used to it all. He seemed very relaxed. @jgpittenger Thanks and yes I agree :-) @hrs Thank you Helen - and yes it was such a great opportunity. I loved it. @joysfocus I agree - rather surreal to see the people standing around him. @jamibann Thank you. @littleconnie Thanks Connie yes it was a great opportunity, and yes the poor little thing. It is a wonder he survived the gin trap. @yorkshirekiwi It was :-) @robz It was a great experience. It is so good for people to see him and become more caring and eco conscious about endangered wildlife. @merrelyn Yes it was thanks Merrelyn :-)
@mv_wolfie Thanks :-)
@dide I agree - the timing was perfect - so lucky.
@dawnee @777margo @haskar Thank you for commenting - appreciated
@kali66 I think his handler said he is 8 years old now, and has been doing the rounds for a long time - very used to it all. He seemed very relaxed.
@jgpittenger Thanks and yes I agree :-)
@hrs Thank you Helen - and yes it was such a great opportunity. I loved it.
@joysfocus I agree - rather surreal to see the people standing around him.
@jamibann Thank you.
@littleconnie Thanks Connie yes it was a great opportunity, and yes the poor little thing. It is a wonder he survived the gin trap.
@yorkshirekiwi It was :-)
@robz It was a great experience. It is so good for people to see him and become more caring and eco conscious about endangered wildlife.
@merrelyn Yes it was thanks Merrelyn :-)