The Department of Conservation is to vaccinate a group of rare kiwi following the death of a number of chicks.
Over the past few weeks, seven Haast tokoeka kiwi chicks have been found dead on the predator-free Rona Island, in Lake Manapouri in Fiordland National Park.
Department of Conservation senior ranger of biodiversity James Livingstone says one bird died of an infection and the other six are likely to have died from parasites and emaciation.
He says there are about 400 Haast tokoeka birds in the country, and health problems can arise through narrow genetic diversity due to the small population.
Mr Livingston says the two remaining chicks on the island have been sent to Wellington Zoo, and 61 other kiwi will be vaccinated.
