Te Horo, a young male kiwi, is roaming free in Otanewainuku Forest after being hatched and raised at Kiwi Encounter in Rotorua as part of Operation Nest Egg.

This operation sees eggs taken from nests in the wild when they are close to hatching, incubating the egg and raising the chick for about six months until it is over 1kg so it can fight off a stoat.

The latest kiwi released in Otanewainuku Forest is called Te Horo – ‘swift and a path forward'. He is held here by Ngati Whare kaumatua Kohiti Kohiti from Minginui.

Originally from Whirinaki Forest, Te Horo was released in Otanewainuku Forest at the weekend before an excited crowd of volunteers and families.

Kohiti Kohiti from Ngati Whare at Minginui accompanied the young North Island brown kiwi from Rotorua with Otanewainuku Kiwi Trustee Dave Wills.

Dave masterminds the project of restoring a good population of kiwi to Otanewainuku forest.

Trustee Des Heke-Kaiawha welcomed the bird on behalf of local iwi and karakia were said to bless Te Horo on his return to the wild.

Volunteers and members of Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust have worked for the past eight years to control pests and predators in the 1200 hectare Otanewainuku conservation area.

Now, in partnership with the Department of Conservation, the trust is restoring bird life and enhancing the habitat of this remarkable piece of native forest.

The success of this strategy was demonstrated by the piercing call of the long tailed cuckoo which serenaded the visitors gathered to welcome Te Horo.

It was cheering to see so many different seeds ready to sprout on the forest floor – once these would have been eaten up by rats and possums.

One young robin came to investigate the release team and posed for several minutes for photographs.

Te Horo was released in a remote site in the forest and given an artificial nesting box to sleep in for the day, well covered with fern fronds to keep out the light.

He is fitted with a transmitter and will be monitored by a dedicated team of volunteers.

His name can be translated as ‘swift and a path forward' – good omens for him to grow and thrive and boost the kiwi breeding effort.