Kiwi facts & characteristics. There are five species of kiwi: Great Spotted, Okarito Brown (Rowi), Tokoeka, Little Spotted and North Island Brown. Kiwi have many weird and wonderful features thanks to New Zealand's ancient isolation and lack of mammals. The Rowi is found in the Okarito Forest in South Westland. These have plummeted to as low as fifty thousand due to the introduction of foreign predators that have highly reduced their number. This is the main reason the Kiwi bird has become endangered. The brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) is endangered. There is one natural population of about 450 rowi (Apteryx rowi) in Ōkarito forest and surrounds in South Westland. Okarito kiwi, the rowi, or Okarito brown kiwi: South Island: The Okarito kiwi, first identified as a new species in 1994, is slightly smaller, with a greyish tinge to the plumage and sometimes white facial feathers. The West Coast is the home of the most critically endangered kiwi in New Zealand. Depending on the type of Kiwi bird species, the location varies. Saved from birdmaster.com. Rowi - the rarest of them all brochure (PDF, 960K) Rowi conservation. Depending on the type of Kiwi bird species, the location varies. The Kiwi population around 80 years ago equaled around 5 million birds. There are five species of kiwis (some sources say seven), and their conservation status varies. The sea was reclaiming its territory and I needed to move. Conservationists celebrate a conservation win after the Brown Kiwi and the Okarito Kiwi are downlisted from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Vulnerable’. Two species of kiwi are being touted as global success stories after being moved off an internationally endangered list. Jul 24, 2015 - Featured Bird | Okarito Kiwi (Apteryx rowi). The Okarito Kiwi, or Rowi (Apteryx rowi) is critically endangered. These have plummeted to as low as fifty thousand due to the introduction of foreign predators that have highly reduced their number. Ōkarito was designated as one of the five special Kiwi Sanctuaries in 2000. Kiwi are a family of birds endemic to New Zealand. It is thought they evolved to occupy a habitat and lifestyle that elsewhere in the world would be filled by a mammal, and their one-off evolutionary design holds all sorts of biological records. This is the main reason the Kiwi bird has become endangered. ANSWER: Miley Cyrus is facing criticism for posting two photos of herself sitting in an endangered Joshua tree. I was walking back from a stroll along the shoreline of the tumultuous Tasman Sea. The little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii), great spotted kiwi (Apteryx haastii) and tokoeka (Apteryx australis) are classified as vulnerable.