Irwin the kiwi, with a picture of the late Steve Irwin. Picture: Stephen Parker (150207sp2)

A cracker of a kiwi chick named Irwin

Crikey - Rotorua's Rainbow Springs has seen its 100th kiwi chick hatched already this breeding season.

And to mark the occasion, which has come a few weeks earlier than expected, staff have named it Irwin after Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin.

The kiwi breeding season started in September and already Rainbow Springs Nature Park's Kiwi Encounter has reached its 100th hatch - a few weeks earlier than the previous season.

Irwin came to Rotorua's Kiwi Encounter from the Taranaki and hatched last week.

Kiwi husbandry manager Claire Travers said Irwin had a great hatch and weighed 367g.





When it reaches 1kg, Irwin will be released back into the wild in Taranaki.

It will be some time before anyone will know whether Irwin is a male or female. Its feathers have been sent away for DNA testing to determine its sex.

Last season, the 100th kiwi chick hatched in early March and Ms Travers expected a much busier season this time around. "This year we're hoping to raise a few more chicks than last year," Ms Travers said.

The kiwi breeding season could last until May and Ms Travers hoped to hatch between 120 and 125 kiwi chicks at Kiwi Encounter this season compared with 108 last year.