Pistachio's release attracts hundreds

Nestled safe in the arms of handler Dave Willis, Pistachio took an afternoon photoshoot with several hundred humans in her stride.

The bird was unfazed.

The 400 humans – a little more emotional, ranging from thrilled, to excited, to a little bit choked up.

The Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust organising team put out 140 chairs, thinking that would be more than enough to seat those who came to celebrate the release of Pistachio into the forest, but the people kept coming. By the time Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust chair Hans Prendergast took to the stage, Oropi Hall was at seated, standing, and sitting-on-the-floor capacity.

A pōwhiri, followed by a special kapa haka performance by Oropi School, started the afternoon, an event that was a long time coming for Anne and Graham Cox. They've been volunteers for the Trust for six years.

Anne says they do line clearing for the bait stations. 'We set bait as well, and do the rat monitoring, which is extremely important.”

Graham agrees. 'In general, the bird life in the bush is so quiet. We want to get those birds back, and we've noticed them coming back over the last six years.”

Seeing Pistachio returned to the bush means a lot to the couple. 'It's awesome,” says Anne. 'I've seen kiwi in zoos, when it's all dark, but to actually see one in the daylight, and see what colours the feathers actually are, it's amazing. And the girls haven't seen any kiwis at all, other than on TV.”

The girls are niece Siobhan McLeod, 9, and great-niece Ella Wilson, 9.

The volunteer work isn't generally suited to children, although Siobhan does go rat monitoring with her Aunt and Uncle. Beyond that, the track clearing is too difficult for children, and there are legal restrictions preventing minors from working with poisons.

Anne and Graham Cox, Siobhan McLeod, and Ella Wilson joined hundreds of people at Oropi Hall to celebrate the release of Pistachio the kiwi into Otanewainuku Forest.

It takes many volunteers working together to keep the Trust running, and Hans is clearly proud of them – of the work they do, and the fact they don't seek accolades for that work.

'It creates enormous humility in people, and they can walk quietly and humbly. That's why I haven't called out those Kiwi Team people, and I haven't specifically asked them to stand up and wave their big flag, because that's not the way they work.

'We can stand and clap and yahoo at them, but what really counts is the recognition that these people are extremely dedicated to the job. As the chair of the Trust, I'm proud to walk beside, and amongst, these people, and see the work they do.”

The logistics of having 400 humans pose with one kiwi are staggering, but with that same quiet dedication, the Kiwi Team worked together and stealthily moved the humans through in hushed bunches. Pistachio, for the most part, sat quietly with handler Dave Willis, although she did jump around and stretch her legs a time or two.

Dave was prepared to end the session early if it got too much, but Pistachio is made of sterner stuff than that. She also had her own way of dealing with the unusual situation – when she'd had enough of humans, she tucked her beak under Dave's arm and slept through the rest of the shoot.

One of those who queued quietly for a photo was seven-year-old Vani Panchal. She had a choice to make on Sunday – a tough one, you'd think, for a child – attend the Grand Opening of the Food Court at the Papamoa Plaza, complete with a Christmas Parade, or attend a two-hour formal ceremony in a hall for the chance to spend 20 seconds with a kiwi.

Showing a wisdom beyond her seven years, Vani says, 'the Christmas Parade will be there every year, but I wanted to see the kiwi. Besides, we can go to other places to watch other Christmas Parades.”

Vani's Mum Sonal says Vani has a kiwi plan. 'She wants to go to Mt Ruapehu with a torch to see the kiwis at night. She hopes she'll see a kiwi there, but already today, her dream of seeing a kiwi has come true.”

A wonderful moment for Sonal Panchal as she watches seven-year-old daughter Vani's dream to meet a kiwi happen.

Following the public celebration, Pistachio was released into Otanewainuku Forest in a small private ceremony.

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