One of New Zealand’s most endangered species is the bizarre, flightless parrot known as the kakapo. In 1995, just 51 kakapo remained. Now, three decades later, their population has increased more than sixfold to 325 birds. Notably, the population is thought to have last exceeded 300 birds as long as 75 years ago.
The milestone was confirmed on September 1, 2026, after conservation officials added 90 chicks from this year’s breeding season to the official population count. It is a remarkable turnaround for a bird that once appeared to be heading toward extinction. But there is a catch: the kakapo remains critically endangered, and its survival depends heavily on human intervention.
