What is the kakapo's historic range?

Answer 1

The kakapo's historic range included both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Fossil evidence indicates that, prior to Maori and then European occupation of the islands of New Zealand, kakapo were distributed in a range from the far north of North Island to the southern tip of the South Island. These flightless parrots lived in a variety of habitats, including tussock grasslands, scrublands and coastal areas. They also inhabited forests, including those dominated by podocarps (rimu, matai, kahikatea, totara), beeches, tawa, and rata. In Fiordland, areas of avalanche and slip debris with regenerating and heavily fruiting vegetation - such as five finger, wineberry, bush lawyer, tutu, hebes, and coprosmas - were known as "Kakapo gardens".