Kakapo population reaches record high of 325 birds
An exceptional breeding season produced ninety self-sufficient young, but the species remains critically endangered.
New Zealand’s kakapo population has grown to 325 birds after a record breeding season. The conservation service is counting ninety young that are old enough to be considered independent.
The ninety young were added to the official population on 1 September, after the youngest animal reached 150 days old. Within the recovery programme, that threshold marks the point at which a young bird is sufficiently independent to be counted.
This is the highest figure since the modern recovery programme began. In 1995, there were just 51 kakapo, including twenty females. According to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, it is not known when the species last exceeded three hundred birds; it may have been about 75 years ago.
Kakapo are nocturnal parrots that cannot fly and are found only in New Zealand. They do not breed every year. The breeding season is strongly influenced by the quantity of fruit produced by the native rimu tree, meaning good years alternate with longer periods without young.
The recovery programme seeks to protect the birds on predator-free islands and closely monitors individual animals. During the past season, staff experimented with fewer nest checks, greater use of sensors and less supplementary feeding. The aim is not only to increase the number of birds, but also to create populations that are less dependent on human intervention in the long term.
The record growth does not resolve the species’ vulnerability. The population remains small, genetic diversity is limited and suitable habitats are scarce. Moreover, a major breeding season says nothing yet about the long-term survival of all the young animals.
The researchers and managers therefore regard the figures as an important interim step. The next major breeding period is not expected until around 2028. Until then, monitoring, protection from predators and the search for new habitats will determine whether the growth is lasting.
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The figures come directly from the official population count and are supported by RNZ reporting. The uncertainties surrounding genetic diversity, habitat and long-term survival are presented as context, not as new measurement figures.
- confirmed The official kakapo population stands at 325 birds. — Official count as at 1 September 2026. source
- confirmed Ninety young were added to the population. — Confirmed by the Department of Conservation. source
- confirmed The recovery programme began in 1995 with 51 birds. — Mentioned in the official press release. source
- confirmed The next major breeding period is expected around 2028. — Mentioned in reporting on the recovery programme. source
Editor's note
The population figures and number of young come from the official count by New Zealand’s conservation service. The species continues to be classified as critically endangered; the long-term consequences of the record season remain uncertain.Sources
- Kākāpō population reaches new milestone — New Zealand Department of Conservation
- Delight as kākāpō population soars to 325 — Otago Daily Times / RNZ
- Current conservation: Kākāpō Recovery — New Zealand Department of Conservation
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „kakapo nieuw-zeeland”
- de Volkskrant — „kakapo nieuw-zeeland”
- RTL Nieuws — „kakapo nieuw-zeeland”