A year 12 student on a class hiking trip along the Rakiura Track on Stewart Island had an "incredible" encounter with one of Aotearoa's native birds.
Kieran Madden, a student at James Hargest College in Invercargill, went on a three-day-long hike on Stewart Island with his outdoor recreation class on June 22.
That morning at about 8:30am, Madden began the second day of his hike and within 15 minutes of his walk, he and two other classmates came across a kiwi in broad daylight and captured it all on camera.
"I have never seen one before," he said.
"We stopped, got quiet, got my phone out just in case I saw it again. It was pretty cool seeing it."
Madden's video show's the curious kiwi running up and down the path and around him and his classmates, clearly not afraid to get close.
"At one point before I started recording it was running around my feet."
Madden said one of his teachers from his class had done the track four times and had never seen a kiwi. This trip wasn't one where the teacher got lucky.
"He was a bit gutted he didn't get to see it as well."
The year 12 student shared the video on the Facebook group Explore New Zealand, leaving many members stunned.
"I have never in my 60 years living in NZ never seen a kiwi ever. What an awesome sight, you would have been amazed."
"Incredible! How cheeky is she," another commented.
"This is so amazing!"
"How fantastic," said another.
