Meet the kakapo. This large flightless bird lives only in New Zealand. Scientists there are celebrating a big step in saving the kakapo from extinction, or dying out.
Hundreds of thousands of kakapo once lived in New Zealand. But the bird’s numbers dwindled after settlers brought predators like weasels to the island nation. The birds have no natural defenses against these animals. By 1990, only 51 kakapo remained.
In 1995, conservationists launched Kakapo Recovery, a program to breed the birds. This year, the group raised a record-breaking 32 chicks, boosting the kakapo population to 155.
The team works hard to keep the chicks safe and well-fed. “It’s been amazing to watch the chicks grow into beautiful birds,” says Bronwyn Jeynes of Kakapo Recovery.