Welcome to the Kakapo Recovery homepage! From here you'll be able to find out more about this critically endangered bird, get the latest news and updates and find out how you can contribute to the recovery programme.
The kakapo is a unique bird
The kakapo is one of the rarest parrots in the world:
It’s flightless
It’s the world’s heaviest parrot
It's possibly the oldest living bird and
It has a subsonic mating boom that can travel several kilometres
And that's just a few things that make kakapo so special!
The kakapo can only be found in New Zealand and every year countless people from around the world - including dozens of hard working volunteers - give their time and energy trying to save the kakapo from the brink of extinction.
Latest News
Most of the Kakapo Recovery takes place on remote, predator-free islands off southern New Zealand. During breeding season, we'll keep you up-to-date with what's happening. You can even try and figure it out yourself by checking the nesting table!
Kakapo Death
Written by Karen Arnold , Wednesday, 18 January 2012 09:51
in
Media Releases
17 January 2012
Kakapo Found Dead
The death of a male kakapo on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island has brought disappointment to the Kakapo Recovery team, as it faces a year without any breeding.
Written by Karen Arnold , Thursday, 29 September 2011 12:43
in
Media Releases
Wednesday, 28 September, 2011
Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson today welcomed the extension of the long-running Kakapo Recovery partnership between the Department of Conservation, Rio Tinto Alcan New Zealand and Forest & Bird - signed during Sirocco the kakapo's debut at Zealandia in Wellington tonight.
Every so often, our hard working Department of Conservation rangers take time out from busy life on Codfish and Anchor Islands, to tell us about Kakapo Recovery.
Getting in Touch with Nature - the Worst Way!
Written by kakapo volunteer , Tuesday, 29 November 2011 10:29
in
Ranger Diaries
Trainee ranger Briar continues her diary series about life on Codfish Island/Whenua Hou...
Ranger Sarah and I have been out catching kakapo chicks for their monthly health checks. Recently we decided to go after a few that seemed to be closer to the hut area. We were after three in particular, and I tried my hand at tracking in on them. Strangely, they all seemed to be in exactly the same direction. So off we went. Now after nearly a month of wandering around this wild island I hadn’t had a proper fall yet.
Written by kakapo volunteer , Monday, 07 November 2011 12:44
in
Ranger Diaries
Trainee Department of Conservation ranger Briar shares her experiences of life on remote Whenua Hou/Codfish Island...
As a trainee DOC ranger studying at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, I was lucky enough to score Codfish Island for my summer work placement.So here I am, halfway through my first month on the island and till pinching myself!
Unfortunately, it's been rough weather-wise this week on Codfish Island. I began it full of optimism, hope and expectation, and ventured out solo on my first signal mission. I reached my planned high point with no trouble, took a few birdy signals and began to trot back down to the main track. Now somewhere along the way, the track decided to go incognito, and gave me the slip. Don’t ask me how! So began an hour or so of personal war – it was me vs thick supple jack, mud and rotted trunks. Having not been able to reach base on the radio, I battled around in what turned out to be a big circle and ended up some time later back at the original high point.
