The kakapo is a nocturnal, flightless parrot that is critically endangered and one of New Zealand’s unique treasures.

The kakapo, also known as the owl parrot, is a large forest-dwelling bird with a pale, owl-like face. Growing up to 64 cm in length, it has mainly yellow-green feathers, forward-facing eyes, a large grey beak, big blue feet, and relatively short wings and tail. It is the world’s only flightless parrot and is possibly one of the longest-living birds in the world, with a reported lifespan of up to 100 years.

Kakapo are solitary birds and often live in the same home range for many years. They search for food on the ground and climb high into trees. Although they cannot fly, they sometimes leap from trees and flap their wings, managing only a controlled descent to the ground. They are entirely vegetarian, feeding on leaves, roots, bark, bulbs, and fern fronds.

Kakapo breed in summer and autumn, but only when food is plentiful. Males take no part in incubating eggs or raising chicks. Females lay between one and four eggs in soil, which they repeatedly turn over before and during incubation. Because the female must leave the nest for long periods to find food, the eggs and chicks are especially vulnerable to predators.

Before humans arrived, kakapo were common throughout New Zealand’s forests. This changed about 700 years ago with the arrival of Polynesian settlers. The flightless kakapo was easy prey, and its meat was eaten while its feathers were used to make cloaks. Polynesian dogs and rats also hunted kakapo. By the time European settlers arrived in the early 1800s, kakapo were already limited to parts of the North and South Islands.

European colonisation accelerated the decline. Large areas of forest were cleared, deer reduced available food, and new predators such as cats, stoats, and additional rat species were introduced. The kakapo population fell sharply and faced possible extinction.

In 1894, the New Zealand government made its first attempt to save the kakapo. Conservationist Richard Henry relocated hundreds of birds to predator-free Resolution Island. Sadly, stoats reached the island within six years and wiped out the population. By the mid-1900s, kakapo were almost extinct.

Between 1949 and 1973, the New Zealand Wildlife Service carried out more than 60 expeditions to find kakapo. Only six were captured, all male, and most died soon after. In 1974, a new effort began, and by 1977, 18 more kakapo were found in Fiordland, again all males.

Later in 1977, a large population was discovered on Rakiura Island, which was free from stoats and similar predators. About 200 birds were found, including females. These birds became the foundation of modern kakapo conservation. However, feral cats caused another sharp decline.

From 1980 to 1997, the remaining kakapo were moved to island sanctuaries: Codfish Island, Maud Island, and Little Barrier Island. Breeding success was low due to rat predation. By 1995, only three chicks had survived, and the population dropped to 51 birds.

In response, a new Kakapo Recovery Plan was launched in 1996 with increased funding and expert support. Predators were removed, birds were closely managed, adults were given supplementary food, and weak chicks were hand-raised. These actions finally led to population growth.

By 2000, the population had risen to 62 birds, and optimism returned. By June 2020, the kakapo population reached 210 birds.

Today, kakapo conservation continues under the Recovery Plan. Its main goals are to protect genetic diversity, maintain and restore suitable habitat, and ensure continued public and stakeholder support to secure the future of this extraordinary species.