In December 2025, we wrote about kakapo, the large flightless parrots from New Zealand. There were only 237 of them at the time, but experts said the birds were experiencing their most productive breeding season in a very long time. On March 6, 2026, great news came: he had hatched 51 chick! This is the same amount as there were kakapo in 1995. Most likely, by the time the material is published, the information about the number of chicks will be outdated, and the current number will be higher: just a week ago there were only 26 chicks. Information According to Scientific American, the kakapo lays 240 eggs. Or maybe more. We decided to remember again why kakapo are so difficult to reproduce and how scientists help them in this.
This is the most promising breeding season ever
Kakapo don’t reproduce every year – unless the rimu conifer tree has a good harvest. The last time that happened was in 2022, and this season thirteenth For 30 years.
At the end of 2025, scientists became cautious Climate prediction: The rimu will produce many fruits and females may lay dozens of eggs. But we have to remember that anything can happen. Infection and floodingDon’t be happy before it’s too late.
Eggs in 2026 delayed The vast majority are females who can do this. The final number of eggs cannot yet be named due to mating It continues (Although the peak is still… It had to for the month of January). The final number of chicks can be announced in September.
The smallest female that lays eggs Four years each. The oldest is over 50 years old (no one knows her exact age): Nora, a kakapo found in 1980, actually exists hatching chicken.
Unfortunately, About half of the eggs The kakapo is not fertilized (or the embryo stops developing at a very early stage). more 20% embryos Stop developing after being noticed by specialists. Scientists are trying to figure out how to improve these indicators, which is partly why they’re monitoring kakapo so closely.
Sensor specialists monitor the mating. They also steal eggs to produce as many chicks as possible.
Each kakapo has a sensor attached to it, which can be used to locate the bird and track its activity level. exactly Thanks to these devices Experts will find out who mated with whom this season. But they cannot rely on the natural course of things, therefore is used As well as artificial insemination. In other words, sperm is collected from males and injected into females. this Helps Maintaining genetic diversity.
For the same diversity of islands where the main kakapo population lives, in 2017 They’re out Male Blades: It has been very productive (22 chicks – That’s a lot!). “He became a victim of his own success. He was very popular.” Countries Andrew Digby, kakapo biologist.
Although there are no predators on the islands where the kakapo lives, there are, for example, bats and petrels (a type of petrel), which are smaller than the kakapo, but can be nearby and behave in a parasitic manner. The female kakapo in such situations is very decisive and aggressive (this season too killing tornado). In an attempt to protect the nest, they may crush the eggs. this One of the main reasonsAccording to what the guards said Take away Eggs from nests.
The eggs are waxed, and if an embryo develops in them, they are transferred to the incubator. Mothers are left with unfertilized eggs (or those in which fetal development has stopped). They are then replaced with eggs from which the chick hatches. Previously, simple dolls were placed in nests for the main incubation period, but this season decided Place unfertilized eggs to understand how many will naturally suffer.
Countsthe kakapo is able to take care of its chicks better when there are no more than two of them. Therefore, if one female has more than two fertilized eggs, two will be returned to her. The rest will be given to the foster mother who was unlucky this season and does not have fertilized eggs.
That’s how it was With Teferi and Yasmine: It turns out that Teferi has four fertilized eggs, and Yasmine is an “experienced foster mother” with a good reputation among specialists. She didn’t have any fertile eggs this season, so she was given two Teferi eggs.
Kakapo are nocturnal animals, so keepers spend the night near the nests to replace or inspect eggs. When the kakapo leaves the nest, the sensors are there It worksA notification comes to the central base, where the guards are informed of this by radio.
The first kakapo of the season hatched on Valentine’s Day.
The first chick hatching February 14, 2026 – At Yasmine’s adoptive mother (see, He is very handsome). When the chicks hatch, they… weight And evaluate their health condition. These checks are then performed regularly. Rangers He confessesWhen they hold a chick for the first time, they cry.
When the chicks hatch, they are completely white (adults are always green). But how? He speaks Andrew Digby, a few weeks later they became “strange little dinosaurs with massive, disproportionately large feet.”
If you are concerned about the fate of the kakapo, you can follow news about them at Facebook and Instagram Programs to restore the numbers of these birds. You can watch it on YouTube live feed From a kakapo nest called Rakiura (it has two chicks). In addition, episodes of the second season are released periodically Podcast about kākāpō (in English), which talks about the performance of birds.