2 Dollar - Elizabeth II 4th Portrait, Apteryx Rowi Kiwi

The Ōkārito kiwi — Apteryx rowi — was only recognised as a distinct species in 2003, separated from other brown kiwi populations after mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed deep genetic divergence. By 2020, the wild population around the Ōkārito forest on the West Coast of the South Island had recovered to roughly 600 individuals from a low of perhaps 160, largely through Operation Nest Egg, which pulls eggs from the wild for incubation and rearing in predator-free sanctuaries before release.

The black proof finish on this issue comes from a specialized lacquer or oxidation process applied over the gold plating — a technique that requires the underlying silver blank to be struck to proof standard before any surface treatment.