An endangered bird that nearly went extinct 30 years ago has just marked a major milestone. New Zealand’s Kakapo Recovery Program celebrated the hatching of its 105th kakapo egg. According to New Zealand broadcaster RNZ, this is the highest number since record-keeping began 30 years ago.
In the latest chick count released on April 3, representatives from the New Zealand Department of Conservation announced that 105 kakapo chicks had hatched from 256 eggs. Of these, 98 chicks are still alive. There is one egg left in the incubator.
The results suggest that the species, which reproduces only every two to four years, may be making a comeback. The kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) is an endangered flightless parrot found only in New Zealand. They are the fattest and heaviest parrots in the world, with males reaching up to 8.8 pounds (4 kilograms).
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Hunting, habitat destruction, and the introduction of new predators decimated the kakapo population, and by the 1990s the species was nearly extinct.
These birds only breed every two to four years, and most females hatch only one chick per breeding season, making them even more vulnerable. There are currently an estimated 235 kakapo left in the wild.
However, not all newly hatched chicks survive. Kakapo Recovery Program ranger Sarah Mankterow told RNZ’s Kakapo Files podcast that seven chicks had died so far and four were taken to Dunedin Wildlife Hospital for treatment. Kakapo chicks are classified as adults when they reach 150 days of age (mid-July).
The official number of chicks for this breeding season will be finalized at this time. The oldest chick is now over 50 days old.
“With each new chick, this species moves further away from extinction,” Deirdre Vercaud, Kakapo operations manager at the Department of Conservation, told Mongabay. “There is always hope and optimism for the future.”
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