We were so excited to hear the news that the population of the amazing kākāpō has reached 200, with the latest chick (Esperance) becoming a juvenile – this is when birds are added to the official tally. There are probably more kākāpō alive now than at any time for ≥70 years.
The Kākāpō Recovery Programme first began in 1995 when the population in New Zealand had fallen to an all time low of just 51 individual birds. With extra funding and a dedicated team of people as well as a specialized advisory group the Kākāpō population has slowly grown since then. Brinsea’s Maxi II EX incubators are used in the recovery programme and we are very proud to play a small part in their recovery.
Photos by Deirdre Vercoe – Manager of the Department of Conservation’s kākāpō/takahē team, New Zealand.
