CONSERVATION: Video highlights efforts to save unique flightless New Zealand parrot

New Zealand is an island of birds, since it was originally devoid of mammals—except bats and a few species of pinnipeds. However, the arrival of human beings changed New Zealand’s unique ecological landscape forever.

As a result of both Polynesian and European settlers, many species that evolved in the absence of predatory mammals became extinct. Some examples of species that went extinct after the arrival of Polynesian and European settlers include the New Zealand Swan (Cygnus sumnerensis), the Auckland Island Merganser (Mergus australis), the Stephens Island Wren (Traversia lyalli), all species of moa (although some people believe at least one species of Moa still exists in remote parts of New Zealand), and the Haast’s eagle (Harpagornis moorei). Most likely, the Haast’s eagle was a moa specialist, so having depended on the moa as a food source, it probably went extinct when moas became scarce or extinct.

Humans and the introduction of cats, dogs, rats, and various species of mustelids have decimated another unique bird species—the kakapo (Strigops habroptila), which is a flightless cryptic parrot. The video below provides an excellent historical reference of the kakapo and one man’s efforts—Allan Munn—to save this unique parrot species from extinction.

More on Richard Henry, the only surviving Fiordland kakapo, and another kakaop named Rangi from Stuff.co.nz:

A Momentous Waitangi Day on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island has seen a male kakapo rediscovered 21 years after vanishing and world-first artificial insemination using the sole surviving Fiordland kakapo.

Rangi’s miraculous find by kakapo ranger Chris Birmingham boosts the critically endangered endemic parrot population to 91 and potentially adds important genetic diversity.

The flightless nocturnal bird was one of four male kakapo released on the 1400ha conservation sanctuary, near Stewart Island, in 1987 without a transmitter. He had not been seen since.

Birmingham told the Sunday Star-Times he was surprised to hear a male booming, its unique resonant mating call, near South Bay, where no kakapo had been detected before.

“I followed the booming sound and eventually spotted him. He bolted so I followed him through the supplejack and ferns. Finally, when it was safe, I managed to grab him.”

It was only then that he realised the bird’s significance because it wore a numbered metal band on his leg. Incredibly, Rangi survived two aerial poison drops during Codfish Island’s rat eradication in 1998.

Once Rangi’s vitals were checked, showing he was in top form, sperm was collected from him before he was carefully carried back to home territory and released. He vanished within seconds into the island’s thick undergrowth, but has now been fitted with a transmitter to ensure his days of anonymity are over.

Tests later that day at a makeshift laboratory on the island showed he had high quality sperm. DNA research was also planned.

Rangi’s discovery could improve the species chances if he is genetically different to the other birds, the kakapo team’s technical officer, Daryl Eason said. “Every kakapo is important. Rangi was a founder bird and he could be a very important bird.”

Meanwhile on Friday, Richard Henry, the only surviving Fiordland kakapo (the rest were caught on Stewart Island or were their descendants), gave what could be his last shot at fatherhood.

For the first time ever, sperm was collected from the bird, which is estimated to be at least 70 years old.

Although checks showed it to be poor-quality, it was used to artificially inseminate a female kakapo to try for more offspring with his valuable diverse genes.

On the Net:

Hat tip to @burdr via Twitter

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