Nick Squires, The Telegraph 1 Apr 08;
It is flightless, helpless and looks like a giant budgie, but New Zealand's rare kakapo ground parrot is clawing its way back from the brink of extinction.
A decade ago the species was down to just 51 birds, but the hatching of five new chicks in recent weeks has boosted the population to 91. Another two eggs are about to hatch, conservationists have said.
Even a modest increase in numbers was "awesome, especially considering these birds only breed every few years," said Emma Neill, a senior official from New Zealand's Department of Conservation.
The kakapo is the world's heaviest species of parrot and is found only in New Zealand. It is also nocturnal.
Once common, with no natural predators, it has been devastated by introduced pests such as the Polynesian rat, brought by Maori, and cats, dogs, stoats and weasels brought by European settlers in the 19th century.
The last time kakapo bred successfully was in 2005, when four chicks were produced - an overall fertility rate of just 58 per cent. The record year was 2002, when 24 chicks emerged.
This year all the eggs laid by the parrots turned out to be fertile. "Because not every egg results in a hatching and not every hatching results in a healthy chick, we are doing all we can to improve survival rates," Ms Neill said.
Surviving kakapo are now kept on two small, predator-free offshore islands and the latest hatchlings are all from Whenua Hou, or Codfish Island, two miles off Stewart Island in the far south of New Zealand.
The only other island the birds are found on is Anchor Island in Fiordland.
Volunteers camp by the kakapos' nests to give the eggs the best chance of hatching, occasionally covering the eggs with a heat-pad if the mothers leave on foraging expeditions.
During the breeding season, male kakapo swell up like a balloon and emit a low booming sound that can travel up to three miles. The birds cannot fly but are adept at climbing trees.
The parrots have yellow-green plumage, a large grey beak, short legs, large feet, and relatively short wings and tail.
Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick said the latest hatchings were testament to New Zealand's international reputation in species recovery.
"We should take pride in the fact that our efforts with kakapo are recognised worldwide," he said.
