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After 4 Years, Kakapo Hope to Hatch Record Chicks
9 Jan
Summary
- Kakapo parrots have begun their first breeding season in four years.
- There are only 236 kakapo parrots remaining in the wild.
- The current season could see the most chicks hatched since records began.
The critically endangered kakapo parrot of New Zealand has begun its breeding season, marking the first such event in four years. Conservation efforts are focused on increasing the population of these unique, flightless birds, with only 236 currently surviving across three remote southern island populations.
This mating season, the thirteenth in 30 years, is particularly significant as it follows a four-year hiatus. Experts predict it may become the most successful breeding season since the program's inception, with expectations of record-breaking chick numbers. The first chicks are anticipated to hatch by mid-February.
Initiated in 1995, the Kakapo Recovery Programme has worked diligently to bring the species back from the brink of extinction. While numbers have grown, the long-term goal is to establish healthy, self-sustaining populations that can thrive naturally across New Zealand's South Island.
