Rare Kakapo Parrots Fuel Breeding Boom With Superfood Feast
Critically endangered New Zealand kakapo parrots are mating in record numbers after gorging on a rare superfood. Learn how this superfood is fueling a population resurgence for the world's heaviest parrot.
The kakapo, a critically endangered parrot species native to New Zealand, is experiencing an unexpected breeding boom after a rare superfood has become abundant on their remote island habitat. Kakapo are the world's heaviest parrot, weighing up to 9 pounds, and have been teetering on the edge of extinction for decades.
Conservationists monitoring the kakapo population on Anchor Island, where the remaining 200 birds reside, have reported a surge in breeding activity this season. This comes after the appearance of a highly nutritious fruit called the rimu, which the birds have been feasting on in record numbers.
Source: The New York Times
