Bank of New Zealand Save the Kiwi Trust

The kiwi is New Zealand's national bird, and its future survival is of great concern not only to New Zealanders but internationally.

In 1991, Bank of New Zealand joined forces with the Department of Conservation and the Royal Forest & Bird Society to establish the Save the Kiwi programme, responsible for conservation and management of kiwi in New Zealand.

Bank of New Zealand has contributed
more than $4 million towards the Kiwi
Recovery Programme since 1991

The many achievements of the Save the Kiwi programme prompted widespread community interest and greater participation in kiwi recovery nationally. In November 2002, the Department of Conservation and Bank of New Zealand established the Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust. The formation of an independent charitable trust, whose sole focus is kiwi conservation, is designed to enhance fundraising opportunities for kiwi recovery, as well as encourage and assist greater community participation.

Operation Nest Egg, DOC ranger
with South Island Okarito kiwi,
Motuara Island

With little known about kiwi, the early years of the Kiwi Recovery Programme focused on describing the state of the “kiwi nation.” Today, Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery (funded by the Trust and managed by DOC) is concerned with cost effective and sustainable methods for conserving kiwi in the wild.

Bank of New Zealand has contributed more than $4 million towards the Kiwi Recovery Programme since 1991. In addition to its sponsorship of Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust, Bank of New Zealand funds the Trust’s full-time Executive Director as well as administrative and promotional costs. This means all money raised can go directly to kiwi recovery.

Find out about about BNZ Save the Kiwi funding applications for kiwi conservation organisations.