uthern Brown Kiwi (Tokoeka) is a species of Kiwi found in the far South of New Zealand. It is grouped into 2 subspecies; the first is somewhat common (population of 20,000) and is found on Stewart Island, and the second is found in the southwest of the South Island, with a population of 7,000 altogether. There are different populations of this subspecies found in Fiordland (north and south distinctively) and another near Haast. The ones from Haast are generally smaller. Haast is an area in the south of the West Coast region, named after famous German geologist Julius von Haast, who was significant in early geological surveys of New Zealand, and also founded the Canterbury Museum. The group of Tokoeka found near Haast (Haast Tokoeka) are critically endangered, with a population of less than 300.
The Haast Tokoeka are based in Haast, in the south of the West Coast region. The Tokoeka have a range of habitats suitable, for example, the Stewart Island Tokoeka are sometimes found in sand dunes. In Haast, the Haast Tokoeka tend to live near mountains, in grasslands, shrublands, and sub-tropic forests. They prefer to live in denser vegetation, where they make their burrows. In these habitats, they will eat small invertebrates, insects, worms, grubs, seeds, and larvae. The Haast Tokoeka also has predators, like possums, stoats, ferrets, dogs, and cats, which will attack the Tokoeka (including juvenile Tokoeka). The stoats and possums will also eat the eggs. The Haast Tokoeka is a nocturnal bird (meaning it is active during the night), and it’s believed that this is to avoid predators.
The Haast Tokoeka does belong to the bird class, although it is one of few that cannot fly. The Kiwi genus has the scientific name Apteryx (Greek for “without wings”). It wasn’t necessary for this bird to fly, as its habitat, in dense vegetation, has most of its food on the ground, as well as the burrows they
