Kākāpō numbers top 300 as record breeding adds 90 chicks

After a bumper crop of rimu berries prompted a rare breeding event, ninety kākāpō chicks were officially recorded on 1 September, bringing the total count to 325 - a level not seen in three-quarters of a century. The species, the world’s heaviest parrot, once thrived across New Zealand before predators drove it near extinction by the early 1900s. A 1995 recovery effort started with just 51 birds and has struggled with genetic and reproductive challenges.

Today three predator-free island colonies host the birds, which only reproduce every two to four years when rimu trees fruit heavily. The chicks, including the youngest female Awarua-A3 hatched on 30 March, will be added to the census at 150 days old. Live-stream footage of the birds attracted over 100,000 viewers, highlighting public interest. Officials anticipate the next breeding cycle could occur as early as 2028.