Rare white Kiwi chick born in NZ wildlife centre in time for Christmas...

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CUTE: A rare white kiwi bird was born at Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre in New Zealand. Picture: Tourism New ZealandSource: Supplied

RARE: Staff at the centre were "gobsmacked'' when the second chick was born. Picture: Tourism New ZealandSource: Supplied

A NEW ZEALAND wildlife centre has received a white Christmas present of a different kind, with the birth of a rare white kiwi chick
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The chick hatched at Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre last Sunday - the second born at the sanctuary this year.

Manukura - the world's first white kiwi hatched in captivity - created global headlines when she arrived in May.

Staff at the centre were "gobsmacked'' when the second chick was born last weekend.

A local Maori tribe has named the chick Mauriora, meaning sustained life.

"While every kiwi is precious, to have a second white chick is a delightful gift, especially at this time of year,'' centre manager Kathy Houkamau said.

"We thought Christmas had come early in May when Manukura arrived but now its come twice."

The centre is located in the Wairarapa district, about a 90-minute drive north from Wellington on New Zealand's North Island.

Tourists will be able to see the new chick being hand-reared in the nursery from Boxing Day.

The parents of the two white chicks were among 30 kiwi transferred from Hauturu/Little Barrier Island last year to boost the adult kiwi population at Pukaha.

The white gene is thought to have found its way into the kiwi population on Little Barrier Island after a white kiwi was put on the island early last century.

A small number of North Island brown kiwi carry a recessive white gene which both the male and female must have to produce a white chick.

Department of Conservation captive breeding ranger Darren Page said it was remarkable that two birds with the rare white gene had paired up in 940ha Pukaha forest to produce two white chicks over two seasons.

There is a one-in-four chance of such a pair producing a white chick.

"Both white birds have the same father, who we have identified through his transmitter," he said.

"The probability that the pair will breed again is quite high but we have no influence over the pairing and no way of knowing if they have produced more chicks together unless they're white.''

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