Kakapo returns to the NZ mainland (1 Viewer)

[jurek]

Unfortunately, not viewable.

Kākāpō return to mainland in historic translocation

For the first time in nearly four decades, kākāpō will be living on mainland New Zealand.

www.doc.govt.nz

Restoring the mauri of kÄkÄpÅ in Aotearoa | Conservation blog

For the first time in almost four decades, kÄkÄpÅ are back living on the mainland of Aotearoa. Let's take a deeper look into this important kÄkÄpÅ conservation milestone.

blog.doc.govt.nz

Anybody wants to speculate when Kakapo will be viewable and twitchable? I would go to New Zealand to se endemic endemic birds, but the impossibility of seeing a Kakapo keeps me off...

 

[Xelioszzapporro!]

How many Kakapos are extant today in New Zealand ? I am asking this cause David Attenborough in one interview back in 1999 said that there aren't much more than 5 Kakapos left in the world.

In fact they thought back in 1985 it was extinct. But they miracously found a small population somewhere in New Zealand....

Surely the numbers increased the last 24 years , I am sure , but how many there are approximately extant ?

 

[raymie]

How many Kakapos are extant today in New Zealand ? I am asking this cause David Attenborough in one interview back in 1999 said that there aren't much more than 5 Kakapos left in the world.

In fact they thought back in 1985 it was extinct. But they miracously found a small population somewhere in New Zealand....

Surely the numbers increased the last 24 years , I am sure , but how many there are approximately extant ?

The global population is 248 individuals.

 

[Xelioszzapporro!]

The global population is 248 individuals.

Awesome! Looks like the numbers increased a lot. I guess the Kakapo is no longer in the brink of extinction.

 

[raymie]

Awesome! Looks like the numbers increased a lot. I guess the Kakapo is no longer in the brink of extinction.

I wouldn't say that. If people stopped managing them they'd probably go extinct pretty quickly.

 

[Xelioszzapporro!]

I wouldn't say that. If people stopped managing them they'd probably go extinct pretty quickly.

Perhaps.
Cats and Stoats In New Zealand are also a major threat for Kakapos. I think if they keep them at bay from them....
Then it would allow them to raise more nestlings.

Combine that with people taking care of Kakapos both in captivity and in the wild. And they should thrive.

 

[Mysticete]

Well, they mention that in the future it might be possible to hear their calls, so if you are willing to count heard-only birds then you might be able to count them sooner than you think.

I'd imagine it will be quite some while, maybe a couple more decades, before the average person can see a translocated/wild bird in the flesh. As a cryptic nocturnal bird they would almost certainly require either a special walk, or someplace like Tiritiri Matangi where you are able to move around at night. And I would imagine those sort of open access places are even further down the list of future translocation sites.

 

[jurek]

It is a pity that kakapos will not be visible to the public, and that no females will be present.

Given how popular are kakapos, viewing could be a perfect PR opportunity and also profitable for local tourism. Since kakapos all carry radio transmitters and have fixed routines, it should be possible to organize night tours to see one from a safe distance.

I also feel that, despite best efforts of conservationists, kakapos will find best place themselves by moving over 34km2 of the mainland reserve, than people can give them on the current islets.

 

[pbjosh]

It is a pity that kakapos will not be visible to the public, and that no females will be present.

Given how popular are kakapos, viewing could be a perfect PR opportunity and also profitable for local tourism. Since kakapos all carry radio transmitters and have fixed routines, it should be possible to organize night tours to see one from a safe distance.

I also feel that, despite best efforts of conservationists, kakapos will find best place themselves by moving over 34km2 of the mainland reserve, than people can give them on the current islets.

If you read one of the articles linked above:

• there is a surplus of males and at the moment all females are still needed in the island populations
• the males are there to test the habitat suitability and to see how they adapt, if they forage successfully, if the fence is kakapo-proof, where they settle in, etc
• the goal is to add females to the population in the future if all is going well

It seems to me that NZ does understand the economic and political and educational value of ecotourism and I have also seen references to a desire that the birds be accessible to see at some point in the future. I would guess this will eventually happen but the welfare of the species is certainly still the primary concern, and I also think NZ does better managing these kinds of projects and making seemingly sound decisions than most.