• To safeguard the kakapo – a unique New Zealand parrot – the genomes of nearly all remaining individuals have been sequenced, providing vital information for conservation management.

ABOUT KAKAPO

• Scientific name– Strigops habroptila
• It is the heaviest parrot in the world, with some males exceeding 3 kilograms, and is thought to have the longest lifespan, up to 90 years.
• It is the only parrot species that can’t fly, instead climbing trees or foraging on the ground to find food like nuts and seeds.

A lek is an aggregation of males that gather to engage in competitive displays that may entice visiting females who are surveying prospective partners for mating.

• It is the only lek-breeding parrot species in the world.
• The green-coloured birds were once widespread throughout New Zealand, but now only 250- odd individuals are left that are managed by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation in partnership with Maori groups on five predator-free islands.
  • Predators include cats and dogs
• They only breed when rimu trees put out masses of fruit (rimu mast years) – every two to four years.
• Threats: Predators, disease, genetic inbreeding, infertility
• IUCN red list status – ‘critically endangered’