Department of Conservation staff are working tirelessly to find out what has killed four kakapo chicks and an adult bird this month. The death of the chicks - including three within three days of each other - leaves only 74 chicks in the breeding programme. There are 144 adult birds also in the programme. They have been carrying out CT scans at Auckland Zoo on some of the chicks and an adult kakapo to help diagnose the cause. Adult kakapo Gumboots died last weekend after apparently getting his leg trapped in the fork of a branch.

Source: Otago Daily Times May 14, 2019 07:52 UTC