New Zealand’s drought and record-breaking hot summers putting kiwi birds at risk
Dehydrated birds venturing out of bush to find food and water are vulnerable to predators
New Zealand’s famous kiwi birds are suffering from dehydration as drought affects many northern areas of the country, with conservationists warning chicks may soon perish too.
There are 68,000 kiwi left in New Zealand but their number is declining at a rate of 2% a year. A century ago there were millions but attacks by dogs, cats, possums, stoats and rats have led to a huge decline.