The kakapo is a large parrot measured to 60cm's, it weighs 2-4 kg's and it cannot fly due to short wings used for balancing. The kakapo's upper parts have yellowish mossy green feathers mixed with black/dark brownish grey which helps blending into vegetation. The Female has a narrower head, its beak is longer, its nostrils are smaller, its legs and feet are more slender, and are pinksih grey, its tail is longer and its more aggresive when handled.
Recovery Efforts Edit
In 1894 Richard henry became appointed the caretaker on Resolution Island then six years later when they had 300-400 kakapo's on the Island stoats swam there and killed all of them.
In 1903 Three kakapo were put on Barrier Island and killed by cats when they landed.
During 1949-1969 the wildlife service made more than 60 expeditions to find kakapo.
In 1977 1 Male and 3 Females were found and moved to maud Island in 1980.In 1982 11 Males and 7 Females were found on Barrier Island which had just been cleared of cats.
In 1992 Several kakapo hatched six chicks on codfish Island, due to the trees not ripening only one chick survived.
There are/were many threats to the kakapo's, one was that maori settlers used kakapo feathers to make cloaks and capes and the meat was regarded as a delicacy. Some maori settlers used the dried out heads of the kakapo as ear ornaments as well as them clearing out their habitats. Many of the animals that hunted tha kakapos were brought over by the settlers were usedto get rid of the rabbits some of them are stoats, cats, dogs, ferrets, weasels, all of these attacked the kakapo as well as the rabbits majorly reducing the kakapo's numbers. Today the kakapo's are criticaly endangered and there are only 126 known kakapo's though most are males.
Surviving Population Edit
The Surviving population of the kakapo are currently split between two predator free islands, Codfish Island and Anchor Island.
The Kakapo are critically endangered and there are less then 150 alive compare that to the number of humans alive on this planet the kakapo are like puny ants ready to be squashed.