Berry nice to meet you: bumper fruit crop could lead to huge mating season for NZ’s endangered kākāpō
After a four-year wait, the abundant fruiting of the rimu tree could inspire the world’s heaviest parrots to boost their population
TL;DR
- The kākāpō, the world's only nocturnal and flightless parrot, are expected to breed after a four-year hiatus.
- The breeding event is triggered by the mass fruiting ('mega-mast') of native rimu trees, which provides essential food for the parrots.
- Kākāpō populations were once abundant but declined drastically due to introduced predators; a recovery program has increased their numbers.
- Kākāpō breed every two to four years, relying on rimu berries to sustain the raising of chicks.
- Male kākāpō participate in mating rituals called 'leks,' producing a distinctive booming sound.
- Female kākāpō are solely responsible for their eggs and chicks for about six months.
- The kākāpō population is growing, but conservationists are now facing a shortage of predator-free space for the birds.
- There are three kākāpō breeding populations located on predator-free islands in New Zealand.