The story of the kakapo is not just a story about an endangered New Zealand bird. It is also a story about people.

It was people, after all, who introduced predators to New Zealand and hunted the kakapo for food.

And it is people who are now helping kakapo get back on their feet.

Today, the Kakapo Recovery Programme has three main partners:

• Rio Tinto Alcan (NZ)
• Department of Conservation
• Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society

It is a relationship between a government department, a large company, and a community organisation that really works.

"The Kakapo Recovery Programme is a shining beacon of how an extraordinary conservation result can be achieved through the commitment and dedication of all the kakapo researchers and managers, the partnership of Government, private business and the Forest and Bird Society, and hard work and vision. Now our biggest challenge is to identify new predator-free places where we can expand the kakapo breeding programme." - Gerry McSweeney, President, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society

At the coal-face of the Kakapo Recovery Programme are the staff of the Kakapo Recovery Team, who bring a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to their work.