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Pams writes:

We spotted a nature reserve sign and stopped to have a look at kiwis.  These are almost extinct in the wild since the introduction of predators eg. possums and  the attentions of domestic dogs and cats.  They were just so sweet and the sleepiest birds I have ever seen. 

Even when heaved bodily out of their lair, they stood up with their heads lolling on the ground – taking 10 minutes to wake up and begin walking around.  We saw duck billed platypus and flying foxes who stared at us with faces like my siamese cats.  We also saw some adorable little koalas who smelled of eucalyptus (hmm, that could have been Australia).  Another enclosure held a cassowary, nasty looking bird with murderous claws on its feet.  I was glad there were bars between it and me.

The Kiwi: This bizarre looking bird is unique to the islands and related to the Cossowary and Ostrich with whom it shares a lack of ability to fly. It is however quite small in comparison - standing some 12-15 inches in height as opposed to the 5-6 foot of its cousins. Despite this, the Kiwi lays eggs to rival the even the mighty Ostrich - they match in size!

They're sleepy birds... sleeping for some 20 hours a day, only emerging in the middle of the night to root for worms. We watch as the keeper opens up a nest, extracts an indignant Kiwi and places it in front of us. It promptly drops its beak on the floor and falls asleep again.

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