Where in New Zealand is the kakapo found?

Answer 1

The kakapo, a type of nocturnal, owl-like parrot is found only in New Zealand. The only flightless parrot in existence, it is currently on the critically endangered list. They are no longer found on the mainland of New Zealand.

Because of predation by cats, dogs, stoats and rats, the remaining birds have been moved to offshore islands. 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.

They were not always so restricted. 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". Although conservation efforts began in the late 1800s, no action made any real impact on the conservation of the animals until the 1980s when the Kakapo Recovery Plan was implemented.