New chicks push kakapo population above 100
12 Mar 2009
New Zealand’s conservation campaign to save the kakapo - the world’s rarest parrot - has reached a new milestone with confirmation that the population of threatened birds has cracked through the 100 mark.
Excitement is high on Whenua Hou / Codfish island off New Zealand’s southern Stewart Island where Department of Conservation (DOC) workers - members of the Kakapo Recovery team - have been closely watching a handful of chicks born in the past few days.
Critical days
All the new chicks have survived their first few critical days, meaning the world's kakapo headcount is now officially 103 birds. This is more than double the total number of kakapo alive a little over a decade ago.
"This is great news - we've still got a long, long road ahead before the kakapo's future is secure but it's a huge milestone for one of the country's favourite birds," said Conservation Minister Tim Groser.
Bumper breeding season
The kakapo recovery team were expecting a bumper breeding season this year with hopes of more than 30 chicks hatching over coming weeks, Mr Groser said.
"Hopefully we'll be able to keep the population over the 100 mark and that is a fantastic reward for all the Department of Conservation (DOC) staff and many volunteers who have worked so hard to build up kakapo numbers over the years."
More than 30 DOC workers and volunteers are on the island helping with this season’s mini population explosion.
Some of the new-born chicks are with their mothers, while others are being hand-reared.
Kakapo are nocturnal so each night, while the mother kakapo are out and about looking for food, ‘nest-minders’ watch over the 26 nests. Eggs are weighed and checked daily for development.
Kakapo Recovery
DOC's kakapo recovery work is a partnership involving the Royal New Zealand Forest & Bird Society, and New Zealand Aluminium Smelters.
First signed over 20 years ago, the agreement is one of the department’s longest running conservation partnerships, and has already injected over NZ$3 million towards breeding programmes and predator-proof sanctuaries for the flightless parrot.
"This milestone shows what can be achieved for conservation when community organisations, private businesses and the public sector work together," Mr Groser said.
More information:
Endangered NZ stars for BBC wildlife series
Native NZ parrot emerges from 21 years in hiding
Bird conservation in New Zealand
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