Ronda and Carolyn release kiwi

Working at ANZCO, you’d never expect to be involved in releasing a kiwi into the wild – but that’s exactly what happened to Ronda Wilson and Carolyn Barr from ANZCO Foods Eltham recently.

A Trust contacted ANZCO Foods Eltham about supplying leftover fat, which would be used by two full-time DOC Rangers to trap pests and help native birds on a farm they own. The site was happy to help, and further processing diverted fat that would otherwise be sent to rendering.

The Trust then invited a couple of people from ANZCO Foods Eltham to be part of a kiwi release, so Ronda and Carolyn went along as representatives. 

They had the opportunity to name a kiwi, so Ronda chose the name Mārama, which translates to ‘moon’ – it’s also her grandson’s middle name. They carried Mārama out to her temporary burrow in the predator-free zone at Lake Rotokare, along with four other kiwi released that day.

Ronda and Carolyn say it was a privilege to be involved in the release, and they learned a lot about kiwi through the experience.