Kākāpō

It’s hard not to fall in love with the kākāpō. They’re charismatic, clever and their feathers range from a beautiful mossy to olive-green. They’re also quite unique; kākāpō are the only flightless and lek-breeding parrots in the world and are one of only two nocturnal parrot species. The name kākāpō translates to ‘night parrot’ in te Reo Māori.   

Endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand, these birds were originally found throughout the mainland. Unfortunately, due to the introduction of predators like stoats and dogs, by the mid-1990s there were just 50 adult kākāpō alive. Thankfully, due to the incredible work of the Department of Conservation’s Kākāpō Recovery and support of Ngāi Tahu, their numbers have increased to more than 250 birds.  

To ensure their survival, kākāpō now live on predator-free offshore islands, Te Hauturu-o-Toi/iLittle Barrier Island), Whenua Hou/Codfish Island and Pukenui/Anchor Island and one fenced mainland sanctuary, Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.  

Auckland Zoo has been providing veterinary and field support to Kākāpō Recovery since their inception in 1996. Our veterinary and bird teams assist Kākāpō Recovery with annual transmitter changes and carry out health checks every year on their sanctuary islands. This includes checking nests and hand-rearing chicks when needed during kākāpō breeding seasons, which happen every 2-4 years when rimu trees mast (fruit).  

Read more about these incredible animals and the people working to conserve and protect them in these stories.