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Monday, May 19, 2014

Parrot Conservation: The Kakapo

Kakapo by Shane McInnes
The Kakapo is what happens when there is no predation and nature gets creative. It is the world's only flightless and nocturnal parrot and found only in New Zealand. Unlike other parrots it can store fat, may have a natural longevity of 100 years and apparently smells like fruit.

When population control is left to nature, the intricacy is astonishing. The female lays only a few eggs and only when triggered by the production of large crops, the "mast year", of the rimu tree species. The solitary male then produces booming sounds and hikes for miles to find the equally solitary female.

Once estimated at over 200000, the Kakapo came close to extinction several decades ago, through the imported predation of cats and dogs. Conservation measures have been successful and the number has increased from 40 to over 100. Something this comical and special has to be kept alive.

Kakapos are also impossibly friendly:





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11 comments:

  1. Vinny CMay 21, 2014 2:35 PM

    Video links are blocked here at work & internet is buggy at home of late so I looked it up on YouTube on my phone just now. From what I saw they can get a bit too friendly (referring to the video of the Kakapo doing a mating dance on the BBC photographer's head).

    All the same, any species that trusts humans so readily is jst asking for trouble. Speaking from personal experience.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Antares CryptosMay 22, 2014 6:14 PM

      It"s worth watching. He thinks he's human. Yeah. They end up extinct.
      Wait a. What did you do?

      Technical difficulties are extremely unpleasant.

      Delete
  2. DB StewartJune 01, 2014 5:16 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. DB StewartJune 01, 2014 5:17 PM

    Hilarious! And somewhat metaphoric too: we should stop screwing with nature or....

    ReplyDelete
  4. Antares CryptosJune 02, 2014 5:50 PM

    Thought so too.

    Frankly, dbs, I don't think nature gives a damn

    .

    ReplyDelete
  5. dopdavidJune 12, 2014 2:33 AM

    what an interesting looking parrot, I almost did not recognize it at first! I hope they stay alive, it is a shame what humanity has done to animals.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Al PenwasserJuly 01, 2014 2:23 PM

    "...it can store fat, may have a natural longevity of 100 years and apparently smells like fruit."
    I'm afraid this is how my (as yet) unborn grandkids will describe me.
    I hope its oranges, though. Oranges smell fresh.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AlittlespriteSeptember 18, 2014 1:05 AM

    I love these pudgy little guys. They have loads of personality.

    ReplyDelete
  8. epicresearch.coDecember 12, 2014 8:56 AM

    I was not aware with this The Kakapo that is parrot conservation, one can watch the video on BBC as we can see above in the post.

    ReplyDelete
  9. DB StewartMarch 26, 2015 10:13 PM

    Long time. Hope all is well.

    ReplyDelete
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