KiwiAir recently released a brand new website dedicated to their wildlife capture/survey services. Click Here to visit.

Wildlife Capture/Survey

Why we are the Experts
We work with you to create a successful project. We know that you as biologists, vets and experts with wildlife are the heart of the program. When the capture crew works together with the agency it creates a marriage that culminates in successful projects. Together as a team we will mitigate your capture to collect the right biological data and ensure safety of the wildlife and crews. We work around schedules and weather to make your project a success despite natural adversities. We will establish a relationship between Kiwi Air and your agency to guarantee successful capture outcomes for years to come.

Our company owners, pilots, gunners and crew involved with capture carry a passion for wildlife. Kiwi Air’s knowledgeable and compassionate staff maintains a patient and calm demeanor. When capture conditions aren’t ideal such as inclement weather or the steep terrain, we always keep the animal’s well being as our number one concern. We are privy to techniques that only come with thousands of animals of experience that minimize the stress on wildlife. When you combine together a talented pilot that has years of wildlife work, an experienced gunner and the best support crew in the industry, you only can produce successful captures. All of Kiwi Air’s crew-members have captured most big game species in the country for various government entities successfully, and we have proof to back it up.

Our pilot keeps the chase times short to reduce the stress on the wildlife. Our short chase times also lead to more animals caught and the highest documented production in the wildlife industry. Whether the terrain is rugged or the animal is traveling too swift, our pilot and gunners know how to take the shots that minimize the chances of animal injury.

Kiwi Air crews pride themselves with the lowest recognized mortality rates possible. We commonly have little to no capture myopathy deaths in animals we have captured. Our crew performs all captures with the highest standard of care and welfare for the animals. Our Animal Handling and Care manual is available upon request.

Kiwi Air not only focuses on the welfare and safety of the wildlife, but our crews and passengers safety comes above all. As a FAA certified part 135 and part 133 company, Kiwi Air maintains a PERFECT safety record (accident free) since it’s founding in 2006. Our crews mitigate risks to ensure the whole picture of animal capture is executed at the highest safety standard possible.

With our safety, experience, production rates and love for wildlife we will work together with you make your project a success.

A list of wildlife our crews have successfully captured:

• Wolves
• Caribou
• Big Horn Sheep (Rocky Mountain and Desert)
• Moose
• Coyotes
• Bison
• Mountain Goats
• Pronghorn Antelope
• Bears (Grizzly and Black)
• Elk
• Deer (Mule and Whitetail)
• Musk Oxen
• Ostrich
• Giraffe
• Hippos
• Kangaroo
• Gemsbok, Kudu, and many exotic ungulates
• Raptors

Capture Pilot
Kiwi Air’s wildlife capture pilot is Captain Blake R. Malo. Blake has been flying rotorcraft for over 15 years and has thousands of safe flying hours. In the last five years, Blake has become almost universally considered a leader in the wildlife capture arena. He is wildly demanded among many biologists, veterinarians, state and government agencies. Blake has captured in excess of 4,000 documented animals for government entities. Blake has infinite experience with nearly every North American and Canadian big game species. From animals such as Musk Oxen and Wolves, to Moose, Deer, Bighorn Sheep, and Mountain Goats, he has successfully captured them all in high numbers. The welfare of the wildlife and safety of the crews are Blake’s highest concern. His never-ending work ethic and expert flying techniques make Blake unparalleled in the industry. Not only is Blake in his prime as a capture pilot, but he has a true passion for wildlife. An avid hunter himself, he has the knowledge to read and anticipate what the animal is going to do. His ability to read wildlife allows him to time animals and navigate the helicopter right down for a smooth and safe capture. Blake’s capture experience spans the entire country. Blake has captured from high altitude Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Utah, to the frigid cold, temperatures in Minnesota and the entirely remote wilderness of Alaska. While not only carrying a 100% safety record in his 15 plus years of flying, he has a long proven track record of successful capture projects completed. Blake is well known for the highest production rates in the industry, lowest mortality rates and his easygoing disposition to work with. As Kiwi Air’s Chief Pilot, you can be assured Blake has everything it takes to make your project a success.

Capture Crew
Kiwi Air’s gunners/muggers and animal handlers are the most experienced in the capture industry. Our gunners are highly proficient in net gunning and darting (chemical immobilization) with schedule 2 drugs. All Kiwi Air personnel, including the pilot, are biologist trained in aging, weighing, monitoring temperature, blood sampling, body score conditions, obtaining biological samples, measurements, phlebotomy, and fitting of collars and transmitters. Our crew is educated in administering drugs intravenously. The calm manner and patience with each and every animal is what sets our crew aside from any other capture crew. With our crew having knowledge as being hunters and pilots themselves, they know how to keep the big picture running smooth but most importantly, safe. With experience under our belts as a team, we know what it takes to make a project successful. We provide resume’s of all our crew proving their thousands of animals caught and handled, upon request.

Equipment
Kiwi Air utilizes the right aircraft for the right capture project. Our extensive experience with Robinsons and MD500’s allows us to competitively bid on any project over a wide range of altitudes. Kiwi Air has custom designed net guns and dart guns. We have a wide variety of nets, hobbles, blindfolds, sling bags, darts, and scales specifically designed for each type of wildlife. Sling ropes are provided at different lengths for transporting wildlife by air. We supply two-way radios for communication between the crew and pilot as well as biologists, veterinarians, and personnel working the project.

Wildlife Survey
With thousands of hours of survey work experience, our crews know how to fly and collect aerial data in the most efficient way possible. Our pilots have been involved in creating original data correction models. We understand:

• Buck/Doe/Fawn Ratios
• Fawn/Calf Production
• Vegetation and weather conditions
• Sight ability
• Noise abatement and private property issues
• Flight profiles
• Flight transects
• GPS Data and files
• We work with biologists to collect data together.
• Our main survey aircraft (R-44) is the best survey helicopter for wildlife counts available

Using an ultrasound to measure this cow moose's fat layer before winter

Kiwi Air capture crew is the backbone to numerous successful wildlife captures

Cow and calf moose in our sights