Kakapo return to the Mainland - almost

Department of Conservation (DOC) staff will transfer 14 kakapo, the world's largest parrot and one of the rarest bird species, closer to the mainland tomorrow.

The seven females and seven males will be relocated from Te Hoiere (Maud Island) at the top of the South Island, and Whenua Hou (Codfish Island) near Stewart Island to Te Kakahu (Chalky Island) in Fiordland.

DOC's kakapo recovery programme will fly the birds to Fiordland by helicopter. Their new home is just 2km from the mainland.

Team leader Paul Jansen said the ultimate goal is to have a self-supporting kakapo population living in a protected mainland "island" environment.

"Kakapo are amazingly adaptable and able to survive in different environments, and they live off the smell of an oily rag," he said.

"Our aim is to continue to build up the number of female kakapo, and then see what we can do, although moving to the mainland is years away."

Staff had cleared stoats from the island, and would continue trapping. Space on Whenua Hou was increasingly limited, especially after the recent bumper breeding season which increased kakapo numbers by 39 per cent.

There are now 86 of the flightless green nocturnal birds, up from 62, with 15 of the young birds female.

For Richard Henry, now believed to be close to 50 years old and the last kakapo known to have survived from Fiordland, it will be a case of returning home.

Don Merton of the kakapo recovery programme captured the bird in 1975 and transferred him to better conditions on Maud Island.

Richard Henry found love with another kakapo, Flossie, four years ago, with three chicks successfully reared from their union.

- NZPA