In 1995, only 51 kakapo were left, including just 20 females. Now, New Zealand’s rare flightless parrot has reached 325, but they don't breed every year

One of New Zealand’s most endangered species is the bizarre, flightless parrot known as the kakapo. In 1995, just 51 kakapo remained. Now, three decades later, their population has increased more than sixfold to 325 birds. Notably, the population is thought to have last exceeded 300 birds as long as 75 years ago.

The milestone was confirmed on September 1, 2026, after conservation officials added 90 chicks from this year’s breeding season to the official population count. It is a remarkable turnaround for a bird that once appeared to be heading toward extinction. But there is a catch: the kakapo remains critically endangered, and its survival depends heavily on human intervention.

From 51 birds to 325

When the formal Kakapo Recovery Programme began in 1995, the known population stood at just 51 birds — 31 males and 20 females. That number of females was especially important. With only 20 females, the species had an extremely narrow reproductive base.


The kakapo’s problems went far beyond its small population. These giant, flightless parrots evolved in New Zealand without mammalian predators, leaving them dangerously vulnerable after animals such as stoats and cats were introduced.

Conservation teams responded by moving kakapo to offshore islands where predators could be removed or kept out. The strategy was essentially to create safe habitats and then manage the birds intensively — tracking individuals, monitoring nests and stepping in when eggs or chicks needed help.

Kakapo don't breed every year

There is another reason the 325-bird milestone matters so much: kakapo do not reproduce every year.

Their breeding is closely linked to heavy fruiting of particular native trees. As a result, breeding seasons arrive in pulses rather than on a predictable annual schedule.

Since the recovery programme began in 1995, New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) has recorded just 13 breeding seasons. That makes every productive season particularly important.

According to DOC, the next breeding season could occur in 2028.

“Our modelling indicates there may be only a two-year gap between breeding seasons this time round. So, while we'll take a moment to stop and reflect on this remarkable year, we're already looking ahead to 2028 and preparing for what could come next,” said Deidre Vercoe, Kakapo Recovery Operations Manager at the Department of Conservation.

Why are all 325 birds on islands?

The kakapo population is currently spread across three managed breeding populations: Whenua Hou, also known as Codfish Island, and two Fiordland sites, Pukenui/Anchor Island and Te Kahaku/Chalky Island.

Keeping the entire population in one place would create an enormous risk. A predator incursion, disease outbreak or extreme weather event could potentially devastate an entire population. Spreading the birds across separate islands makes it less likely that a single disaster could become a species-wide catastrophe.

But there is a trade-off.

Three islands mean three locations to monitor, feed and manage. Conservation teams also have to move birds when necessary for health, genetic diversity or breeding decisions.

The programme operates in partnership with Ngāi Tahu, whose takiwā encompasses the southern islands where the kakapo are being managed.

325 is a victory — not the finish line

The latest number is impressive, but it does not mean the kakapo is out of danger.

The species remains critically endangered and is still dependent on managed sanctuaries. It has not returned to a self-sustaining existence across its former range, which once included the North Island, South Island and Rakiura.

There is also a simple but important distinction between 325 birds today and 325 future breeding adults. The 90 chicks added in 2026 are young birds entering the population. Some will not survive to adulthood, and others will not necessarily become breeders.

“There is still a long road of recovery ahead, but ninety chicks in a single season is a record. In the early years of recovery, it took 16 years to produce that many chicks,” the DOC release said.

The flightless, nocturnal parrot is still far from safe. But after three decades of predator control, individual tracking, nest intervention and carefully managed breeding, one thing is clear: the kakapo has been given another chance.