Kiwi chicks have hatched in Wellington, the New Zealand capital, for the first time in more than 150 years, a year after the Capital Kiwi Project reintroduced the country’s iconic national bird to the city. The chicks are a “massive milestone for our goal of building a wild population of kiwi on Wellington’s back doorstep,” said project founder Paul Ward. “Much work lies ahead – but these chicks mark a significant step on that path.”

Wellington is quietly becoming world-famous for its conservation achievements. A generation ago, it was rare to see tūī in the city; now they’re a common backyard bird. Kākā – recently on the threatened species list – swarm western suburbs in the dozens. Kererū are a daily sight on sagging power lines, and kārearea – the endangered native falcon – are nesting behind the Beehive.

“In New Zealand, with our found-nowhere-else-on-Earth examples of island evolution, we face a choice: stand back and watch the predators we brought with us wipe out our biodiversity and taonga, or do something about it,” says the Capital Kiwi Project.