Manukura, the sole white kiwi ever born in captivity, has passed away in New Zealand following surgery

A rare snow-white kiwi, who inspired a children's book and was the first of its kind hatched in captivity, has died in New Zealand after undergoing multiple surgeries to remove an infertile egg.

Named Manukura, meaning 'of chiefly status' in Māori, the kiwi passed away on Sunday, as confirmed in a statement from the Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, located 78 miles (125 kilometers) from Wellington, the nation's capital.

The North Island brown kiwi, hatched at Pūkaha in May 2011, exhibited a rare genetic trait that gave it white feathers, instead of the typical brown coloration.

Manukura was regarded as a 'great blessing' by the local Rangitāne o Wairarapa tribe, who viewed her as a symbol of unity, according to a statement from the wildlife center.

She even inspired a book by Joy Cowley, one of New Zealand’s most renowned children’s authors, along with a range of plush toys and other collectible items.

“For the last decade, she brought joy to countless people and, in her quiet way, highlighted the vulnerable situation of kiwi in the wild,” said Kathy Houkamau, the Department of Conservation’s Wairarapa operations manager and former Pūkaha center manager when Manukura was born. “She will be deeply missed.”

Manukura was taken to specialist vets in early December after her caregivers noticed she was losing weight and refusing to eat, according to the statement.

Vets discovered that the kiwi had an unfertilized egg she could not lay. While their surgery to remove it was initially successful, additional procedures were needed, and her health continued to worsen in the weeks that followed.

“Manukura was truly a member of the Pūkaha family, and we’ve always felt privileged to have her with us, helping to tell the conservation story of Aotearoa,” said Emily Court, Pūkaha’s general manager. She described the day as “one of the saddest” the wildlife center had ever experienced. Aotearoa is the Māori name for New Zealand.

Although white kiwi can be found in the wild, their rarity makes encountering one in its natural environment extremely unlikely.

New Zealand’s Department of Conservation reports that approximately 68,000 kiwi remain, with 2% of the unmanaged kiwi population being lost each year due to threats like stoats, dogs, cats, and ferrets.

Manukura is survived by her younger brother, Mapuna, who is part of Pūkaha’s ongoing captive breeding program.