Our Endangered Kakapo

 

I have been enjoying a weekly programme on TV called Modern Dinosaurs, dealing with unusual creatures found only in New Zealand that are believed to be descended from dinosaurs.

Tonight, the programme was primarily about our critically endangered Kakapo.  This large flightless parrot (double the size of a chicken) is believed to have descended from therapods and lived throughout our forests until around 800 years ago, when humans first arrived here.  

Since that time they have had to contend with men (they made easy food, early settlers describing them as being so common that they “fell out of the trees”), rats, pigs, stoats, cats and dogs, and by the mid-1990s there were only around fifty birds left.

An intensive conservation effort was started and now there are at least 150 birds living on the predator-free Codfish Island (there are other areas in the programme as well, but this Island has the greatest concentration of birds).

Every kakapo on the Island is chipped, named, and carries a radio transmitter for location purposes.  Each bird is captured every year to give it a health check and to change the transmitter battery.

Kakapo may be flightless but they can use their large beak to help them climb trees in search of food.  They are vegetarian and their diet changes seasonally.

During mating season, the loud booming of the male can be heard for up to a kilometre away.  Modern technology is being used for DNA testing to help combat inbreeding (about a third of all eggs laid are infertile).

I am glad we have such dedicated conservators to care for these unique and beautiful birds.

Take care and be kind to your environment,

Margaret 😊

 

These photos were all taken from the television programme mentioned above.