Environment News

Kākāpō Conservation Recovery

September 8 , 2026 15 hrs 0 min 38 0

New Zealand’s critically endangered kākāpō, the world’s heaviest parrot, has reached 325 birds, up from 51 in 1995.
The kākāpō, scientifically known as Strigops habroptila, is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
The 2026 breeding season produced 90 chicks, the highest recorded under the modern recovery programme.
Kākāpō are flightless parrots native to New Zealand.
Conservationists moved surviving birds to predator-free offshore islands and began intensive monitoring and breeding programmes.
They usually breed once every 2–4 years, when rimu trees produce abundant fruit.