At a Glance
- New Zealand’s 236 wild kākāpō may produce 50+ chicks this summer
- A bumper rimu-fruit crop triggers the first mass mating since 2022
- Conservationists now face a new problem-running out of predator-free habitat
- Why it matters: The world’s heaviest parrot could edge back from critical endangerment
New Zealand conservation teams are racing to prepare for what could be the most productive kākāpō breeding season in the 30-year history of the recovery program. A rare mass fruiting of native rimu trees has aligned with the nocturnal, flightless parrots’ unique biological clock, prompting officials to expect dozens of new chicks within weeks.
Bumper Rimu Crop Signals Breeding Frenzy
The Department of Conservation (DOC) confirmed earlier this month that breeding season is underway for the 8-pound birds, which can live up to 90 years and climb 100 feet into the forest canopy. Kākāpō mate only when rimu trees produce large quantities of their berry-like fruit-an event that last occurred in 2022.
DOC Kākāpō recovery operations manager Deidre Vercoe said the four-year gap has heightened anticipation.
“It’s always exciting when the breeding season officially begins, but this year it feels especially long-awaited,” Vercoe said in a press release. “We are preparing for what might be the biggest breeding season since the program began 30 years ago.”
Biologist Andrew Digby told the Washington Post the rimu crop is so plentiful he anticipates more than 50 chicks will hatch around February, a record high.
From Near-Zero to Population Pressure
Human settlement and introduced predators such as cats and rats decimated kākāpō numbers. During the 1970s, surveys failed to locate a single bird. Conservationists relocated every individual they could find to three predator-free sanctuary islands between 1980 and 1997, allowing the population to climb to today’s 236 birds.
The success has created an unexpected dilemma: suitable habitat is filling up.
“We are actually running out of space for kākāpō and predator-free, good-quality habitat,” Vercoe told the Guardian. “It’s an exciting turning point for the program-how do we keep growing the population, but how do we take steps back and where do we put them?”
Life on the Island Sanctuaries
Kākāpō mothers usually raise one chick per season. The fruit provides essential calcium and vitamin D, triggering mating rituals that include males emitting deep “booms” that can travel kilometers through the forest.
Most of the birds now live on Whenua Hou, Anchor, and Hauturu-o-Toi, islands cleared of invasive mammals. Field teams track every individual with smart transmitters and supply supplementary food when natural crops fail.
Beyond the Numbers
Vercoe emphasized that population growth is only part of the mission.
“We want to create healthy, self-sustaining populations of kākāpō that are thriving, not just surviving,” she said. The long-term goal is to reduce hands-on management and eventually return the parrots to their former range across mainland New Zealand.
Despite the optimism, the species remains critically endangered. Conservation staff will continue intensive monitoring through summer, expecting mating activity to peak over the next month.
Key Takeaways
- The rimu fruit bonanza is fueling the first widespread kākāpō breeding since 2022
- Over 50 chicks are expected, a potential record for the program
- Officials must now balance population growth with limited predator-free habitat
- The flightless parrot’s future still hinges on sustained conservation work
