Recent Population Changes
After a good breeding year in 2002, the population remained at 86 until 2004, when three two-year-old female Kakapo died from infections by the soil bacterium erysipelas. Four chicks survived from the 2005 breeding season. The male Gunner died of aflatoxicosis during the New Zealand winter of 2005, bringing the population back to 86. In April 2008, the population grew to 93 with the hatching of seven chicks, then fell to 92 due to the death of adult Bill. One of the seven 2008 chicks died soon after hatching, bringing the total down to 91, and on 28 October 2008 male Lee died, bringing the population down to 90. Four of the 2008 chicks have been named, but the remaining two chicks are awaiting official names from Murihiku iwi. Male Rangi was re-discovered in February 2009 after spending 21 years living on Codfish Island. In 2009 there was another good breeding season, with 33 chicks (20 male and 13 female) bringing the population up to 124. A number of older birds died during 2010, followed by the significant loss of the only remaining Fiordland Kakapo, Richard Henry, announced during January 2011. His Fiordland genes survive through his three progeny. A breeding season in 2011 produced 11 chicks (8 females, 3 male), which all survived, bringing the population to 131. However, the deaths of several birds followed and with no breeding season in 2012, the population is down to 125.
Read more about this topic: List Of Kakapo
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