This species is endangered although certain conservation efforts have helped to an extent. The South Okarito forest has been made into a Kiwi sanctuary. The main threat for this bird is from stoats. As of 2015, only 450 remain in the wild, and not enough is known about them to help them survive in captivity and then be released into the wild.

Sanctuaries have been created but there are still many predators that pose threats to Kiwi birds. Furthermore, habitat loss takes away from forests that Kiwis need, forcing them to live in unsuitable environments like farms and more urban areas.

By saving the Kiwi, we will preserve an important bird of New Zealand, and it's cultural importance can continue to thrive. It would also have a positive impact of the environment by keeping insect levels stable.