The Kiwi lays the largest egg in relation to its body size. Next is Kevin Costner.

In New Zealand, you don't mess with the kiwi. The flightless bird is a national symbol, like the bald eagle in the US, and appears on coins and product logos. New Zealanders even call themselves kiwis.

That's why it's so troubling that the birds are an endangered species. But an innovative conservation program near Wellington is working to bring the little guy's numbers back up.

The Karori Wildlife Sanctuary is trying to bring kiwis and other endangered animals back to the mainland from their last outpost, the smaller, less inhabited islands. The sanctuary is trying to restore a square mile of river valley to its pre-human state and help the birds return to the wild on the mainland. The program began with one bird in 2000; the park expects to count 40 birds by next year.