New Zealand North Island Brown Kiwi - Threats and Conservation
'Susceptibility'
Susceptibility
- Original 200mm x 200mm.
Original Available: No
- Original 200mm x 200mm.
Original Available: No
The North Island Brown Kiwi is the only kiwi species remaining in the wild on the North Island, inhabiting native forests, scrublands, pine forests and rough farmland. As a nocturnal, flightless bird, it is highly vulnerable to introduced mammalian predators, particularly dogs, ferrets and stoats. This, together with ongoing habitat loss, has driven its decline, though the controlled use of the pest-control chemical 1080 has successfully slowed or reversed the trend in many areas.
Brown kiwi forage by slowly walking and tapping the ground, probing their long bills into leaf litter once prey is detected. Intriguingly, these chicks are never fed by their parents. They must venture out of the safety of the nest to forage completely on their own at just ten days old, making them incredibly susceptible to predators. It was this profound sense of being alone and vulnerable in the dark forest that I wanted to capture in my painting.
The original artwork was created for 'Silent Skies', an international touring installation born from a collaboration between Artists for Conservation and the 27th International Ornithological Congress in Vancouver. Limited edition giclée prints remain available through Artists for Conservation.
Brown kiwi forage by slowly walking and tapping the ground, probing their long bills into leaf litter once prey is detected. Intriguingly, these chicks are never fed by their parents. They must venture out of the safety of the nest to forage completely on their own at just ten days old, making them incredibly susceptible to predators. It was this profound sense of being alone and vulnerable in the dark forest that I wanted to capture in my painting.
The original artwork was created for 'Silent Skies', an international touring installation born from a collaboration between Artists for Conservation and the 27th International Ornithological Congress in Vancouver. Limited edition giclée prints remain available through Artists for Conservation.