The population had fallen to just 51 birds by 1995, according to the New Zealand Department of Conservation’s kākāpō recovery history . Three decades of conservation efforts, including predator control, protected island habitats, and managed breeding, helped the population reach 325 birds by September 1, 2026, according to the department’s population milestone announcement . It evolved in an ecosystem without native mammalian predators, but hunting by humans and predation by introduced animals, including dogs and cats, contributed to its decline.
The kākāpō, a bird native to New Zealand, is a large, flightless parrot that spends much of its time on the forest floor and is most active at night. Human settlement also altered its habitat.
The Department of Conservation traces the species’ decline to the arrival of Polynesian settlers in New Zealand about 700 years ago. Efforts to protect the species began in 1894, when conservationist Richard Henry relocated hundreds of kākāpō to Resolution Island in Fiordland. Subsequent expeditions to Fiordland found some survivors, but 60 searches conducted between 1949 and 1973 resulted in the capture of only six males. In 1977, a substantial population was discovered on Rakiura, also known as Stewart Island. The discovery of females in 1980 raised hopes for breeding, but feral cats continued to prey on the birds. In its population milestone announcement, the Department of Conservation reported that the official kākāpō population had reached 325 birds. The total included 90 chicks from the 2026 breeding season that had reached the 150-day age threshold for inclusion in the count.
Because kākāpō evolved without many mammalian predators, their ground-dwelling habits and inability to fly left them especially vulnerable to introduced animals. Introduced predators, particularly rats, posed a serious threat to eggs and chicks. Forest clearance reduced available habitat, while introduced deer and possums later added to the strain on native vegetation. Cats , stoats, and introduced rat species also threatened the birds. The effort failed after stoats reached the island about six years later and killed the introduced birds .
Recovery required more than moving the birds to safer habitats. Nest monitoring, supplementary feeding, and, when necessary, artificial incubation and hand-rearing help conservationists manage breeding and improve chick survival. Despite the population increase, the species remains critically endangered. People hunted kākāpō for meat, while humans and dogs also took their feathers. By the time Europeans began settling in New Zealand in the early 1800s, the birds had disappeared from many parts of the country and survived in more limited areas. European settlement intensified the pressure over subsequent decades. Conservationists subsequently moved surviving kākāpō to offshore island sanctuaries during the 1980s and 1990s, as suitable predator-free refuges became available.
The department’s recovery history records that at least 12 chicks had been produced by 1995, but only three survived. By that year, the total population had dwindled to 51 birds, prompting changes to the conservation strategy. The Department of Conservation relocated kākāpō to Codfish Island, Maud Island, and Te Hauturu-o-Toi, also known as Little Barrier Island, to reduce their exposure to predators. However, rats continued to threaten young chicks.
