KAKAPO

We have been on a Virtual Field Trip to learn about the kakapo. We have watched the scientists who work with these amazing birds through videos and diaries on the net. We learned lots about these endangered birds. Did you know . . .

• Kakapo means "night parrot."
  
• There are only 91 kakapo left in the world and they are only found in New Zealand.
• The kakapo live on Whenua Hou (Codfish Island) which is an island near Stewart Island. This is the island we visited on our Virtual Tour. 16 kakapo live on Anchor Island.
• Scientists have been trying to save the kakapo for years by helping look after them and learning about them.
• Kakapo are nocturnal.
• They feed on leaves, seeds, fruit and nuts.
• The male kakapo makes a hollow and sits in it and booms trying to attract a female kakapo.
• Only the mother kakapo look after the chicks.
• The kakapo is the heaviest parrot in the world.
• Kakapo cannot fly.
• They can live to about 60 years old.
• Kakao breed when there is lots of Rimu fruit. This only happens about every 20 years on Whenua Hou.
• Females lay 2 to 4 eggs which take about 30 days to hatch.
• 7 chicks that hatched this year were taken to Nelson to be looked after. Some of us saw the chicks at the Brook Reserve.
• Predators of the kakapo are cats, kiore (rats), stoats and possums. People have worked hard to get rid of these predators from the islands.
• All kakapo have a microchip and a radio transmitter so scientists can keep track of them.

We hope scientists keep learning about the kakapo so they do not become extinct.