Britain's only kiwi arrives at Paignton Zoo

A zoo in Devon has welcomed the UK's only flightless kiwi from the other side of the world.

The shy, nocturnal mini-ostrich named Manu is one of only a handful in Europe and the first Paignton Zoo has ever kept.

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Five-year-old male named Manu is a brown or Northern kiwi, an endangered species, which came to Devon from Frankfurt Zoo in Germany.

Preparations for his arrival included asking the Torbay Metal Detectors Club to search the enclosure for potentially dangerous bits of metal.

Club member Tom Hurren said: "It's the most unusual request for metal detectoring we have ever had! It was quite a challenge because of the size of the enclosure - and it's the first time I have actually been asked to look for rubbish!"

Senior Head Bird Keeper Peter Smallbones: "They have a bad habit of consuming things they shouldn't. They can be fussy eaters and don't take to new foods easily, but they love bits of wire and silicon. They probe the soil with their long beaks and can dig up bits that aren't usually exposed and so aren't a risk to most bird species."

Conservationists allocate males to collections so zoo keepers can perfect their husbandry skills before applying to hold a pair.

Curator of Birds Jo Gregson said: "It will be at least two years before we are in that position." Kiwis can live for more than 40 years."

The kiwi is a flightless bird about the size of a domestic chicken that's part of the ratite family, which includes the ostrich, emu, rhea and cassowary. It lays the largest egg in relation to body size of any bird in the world – an egg can weigh a quarter of the bird's body mass. This is like a chicken laying a one pound egg, or a human mother giving birth to a baby the size of a four-year-old.

It is the national symbol of New Zealand and feathers are often gathered by zoo keepers and sent back to the country, where they are highly prized by the indigenous Maori people, who use them in ceremonial clothing.

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