The kakapo.

High hopes for kakapo breeding season with discovery of eggs
Sun, 16 Mar 2008 05:43p.m.


Hopes are high for the kakapo breeding season on Codfish Island with the discovery that the birds are breeding earlier in life.

Adolescent kakapo have laid half of this season’s eggs - something that is taken DOC workers by surprise.

And in a world first some of their mating action has been captured on film.

The kakapo are one of the country's most endangered birds and their perilous situation is made worse by the fact that they are notoriously slow breeders.

So the recent discovery of eight kakapo eggs on Codfish Island has excited those working to boost their chances of survival.

Emma Neill, Kakapo Recovery Team leader: “There's only 86 kakapo currently in existence in the world, so 8 eggs is a precious addition to that we definitely know that 5 of them are fertile, and hopefully the other 3 are as well.”

The kakapo's revival has been plagued by infertility - hopes have been raised with the discovery that half the new eggs were laid by adolescent kakapo, previously considered too young to breed.

Emma Neill: “Four of those were laid by two females who are 6 years old, and we'd previously thought the youngest age for breeding was 9 years old.”

This is important to me beacause I love animals and even more one that are native to New Zealand.


Questions.
How mucd do you know about the kakapo?
What other endangered birds do you know about?
Where do they live?