‘Robo Kiwi’ takes on dogs

Scion scientist Karl Molving and kiwi practitioner Blake Cole provided guidance for Robo-Kiwi’s development.

A robotic kiwi prototype is helping to protect New Zealand’s treasured kiwi population from dog attacks.

A project involving Scion, the National Kiwi Hatchery in Rotorua and four engineering students from the University of Canterbury, has seen the development of ‘Robo-Kiwi’ – a model kiwi with moving legs which is propelled along a rail to deter dogs.

While stoats pose the biggest risk to kiwi chicks, uncontrolled dogs are the biggest threat to adult kiwi, causing about 70 per ...