The worlds rarest kiwi – the rowi – is found in Okarito forest on the West Coast.
“Dogs are fine around Okarito village, we have a green area for them to play and enjoy some exercise, but we've had reports of dogs being taken on forest walking tracks and they are a risk to our rowi (Okarito kiwi).”
The rarest brown kiwi is found only in Okarito forest and conservation efforts have grown the population from just 165 birds in the 1990s, to about 600.
“We are grateful to see more New Zealand tourists, and it’s natural they will want to travel with their pets, but we're surrounded by kiwi territory and national park where dogs are prohibited.”