What is being done to protect the kakapo from becoming endangered?

Answer 1

Monday, 31 March 2008 12:00 in Media Releases Kakapo chicks hatch on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island The eagerly-awaited arrival of some of New Zealand's most precious babies has started, with the hatching of five kakapo chicks in the last two weeks. As of Saturday 29th March, the world's population of kakapo has been boosted from 86 to 91 with another two eggs due to hatch over the coming fortnight. Thereis only 86 or 91 left in the whole world!!!!

Answer 2

Yes. The kakapo is critically endangered, and extinct on the New Zealand mainland where it once roamed freely.

Before European settlement, there were no native predators of the kakapo living in New Zealand. The introduction of animals such as stoats and feral cats was devastating for a kakapo population. Feral cats virtually decimated the kakapo on Stewart Island, and he remaining specimens had to be moved to other islands.

Also, when the Polynesians arrived, the kiore, or Polynesian rat, was introduced into the kakapo's habitat, whereupon they began to feast on the kakapo's eggs. The Polynesians themselves raided nests and ate eggs, and they used the kakapo as a source of food for the new human population as, being flightless, they were easy to catch. The feathers from the kakapos were also valued. With the arrival of new people from Europe, the situation became worse with more rats, imported cats and stoats, and more hunting by the new residents of the birds for food.

To add to the difficulties, the Kakapo have long breeding cycles, of approximately 3 years, so population growth is not sufficient to replace the birds lost to predation by other species. As well the berries they eat during breeding seasons apparently suffered a down turn too, and the quantity of berries became insufficient to sustain the breeding populations as needed. Introduced plant species took over the kakapo's habitat, pushing out the kakapo's native foods. Land clearing by Europeans exacerbated the situation.

Answer 3

The kakapo, a flightless, nocturnal parrot of New Zealand is critically endangered. According to a report from February 2012, the population of the kakapo at that stage stood at 127. This was down from a high of 131 in the previous breeding season.

Answer 4

Kakapo are flightless parrots, particularly vulnerable to predators, and currently critically endangered. Their numbers have been decimated since first the Maori, then Europeans, settled in New Zealand. Settlement meant the birds were easily hunted, and exotic predatory species were introduced. However, efforts by various groups have gone a long way towards helping the kakapo and, while it is still critically endangered, its outlook is a bit more positive.

The birds are now protected by law, and to help preserve the species, the Kakapo Recovery Programme has been put into place. The Kakapo Recovery Programme is managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC) which, under the "Wildlife Act 1953", has responsibility for caring for native species.

Because of predation by cats, dogs, stoats and kiore (polynesian rats), the remaining birds have been moved to offshore islands Under the Kakapo Recovery Programme. In 2014, they are now found only on Anchor Island, Codfish Island (Whenua Hou) and Little Barrier Island (Hauturu). These islands are essentially made up of thick bushland which is closest to the kakapo native habitat.

In addition, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, a major conservation group in New Zealand, not only actively promotes and assists the Kakapo Recovery Programme, but it also administers funds via the Threatened Species Trust.

Then there is the influential company Rio Tinto Alcan New Zealand Limited (RTANZ) which has committed to helping save the kakapo by working in partnership with both the Department of Conservation and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society.

In 1995, there were only 51 kakapo left. Thanks to the Kakapo Recovery Programme, figures in 2013 had reached 131. There are full time staff permanently enduring the primitive, cold conditions of the islands in order to help protect and preserve the birds.

Answer 5

Very much so. The kakapo, also called the owl parrot, is a nocturnal parrot of New Zealand that is critically endangered, and extinct on the mainland. They only exist on three islands off the southern New Zealand coast, where their progress is carefully monitored. Their population fluctuates between 120 and 131, but this is a vast improvement on the 51 known birds in 1995.