Keel M. Posted June 21, 2012 #1 Share Posted June 21, 2012 These birds are cool and I'm glad they are being brought back from the brink of extinction, but the info. shared in this story is a bit weird. Flightless, slow-moving and at times more sexually attracted to humans than their own species, it's small wonder New Zealand's kakapo parrot is on the verge of extinction. But a mammoth conservation effort stretching back decades is offering hope for one of the world's rarest birds, lifting its numbers from about 50 in 1990 to 126 this year. Full story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbenol Posted June 21, 2012 #2 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Fabulous bird. I like what Douglas Adams had to say about it. Not only can't it fly, but it often forgets that it can't fly. When alarmed, it will run up the nearest tree and launch itself off, where it will proceed to fly like a brick and crash back to earth. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashotep Posted June 22, 2012 #3 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) That's one helmet I wouldn't want to wear. Glad they are making a come back. I can see where cats and dogs could wipe them out. Edited June 22, 2012 by Hilander Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBanana Posted June 22, 2012 #4 Share Posted June 22, 2012 i think this entire species deserves a darwin award. i dont think they were meant to pass their genes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted June 22, 2012 #5 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) Meh.. last parrot I saved told me to "Eff off!" (numerous times) Edited June 22, 2012 by Eldorado 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidKn13ght Posted June 22, 2012 #6 Share Posted June 22, 2012 It reminds me of a modern day dodo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schizoidwoman Posted June 22, 2012 #7 Share Posted June 22, 2012 They remind me of artichokes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbenol Posted June 23, 2012 #8 Share Posted June 23, 2012 i think this entire species deserves a darwin award. i dont think they were meant to pass their genes on. It's endangered because of the impact of humans. It was perfectly adapted to live in these island without natural predators. Humans introduced rats and dogs, and messed with it's environment. It was perfectly fine until we got here. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Chicken Posted June 23, 2012 #9 Share Posted June 23, 2012 its ADORABLE! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habitat Posted June 23, 2012 #10 Share Posted June 23, 2012 It has to be realised that till the arrival of humans, New Zealand had no mammals other than bats, at least for several million years. There were some reptiles, but in the cool climate were not going to be dominant. So it was that birds came to occupy the type of niches that mammals did elsewhere, in a variety of exclusively ground dwelling species. Included in these was the Moa, some species of which were 12 feet tall ! These became extinct following the arrival of the Maori peoples in the middle of the last millenium. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRIPTIC CHAMELEON Posted June 23, 2012 #11 Share Posted June 23, 2012 This article has made my day & that Stephen Fry piece of footage is priceless. hagl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted June 23, 2012 #12 Share Posted June 23, 2012 They brought a couple of juvenile kakapo to a wildlife reserve near where I live a couple of years ago, so they are very cute when they are smaller. It's also very unqiue amongst parrots in the world and is also one of the largest. And the only reason it mentions "sometimes sexually attracted to humans" is because one was filmed having a fun time with the back of Stephen Fry's head. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Sam Posted June 24, 2012 #13 Share Posted June 24, 2012 I would love to handle exotic animals and species that are almost extinct. It would give me a great feeling being able to help species that are dying off, to help repopulate their populations and make sure they survive. If I could save one almost extinct species, I would be happy and content with my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Fluffs Posted June 24, 2012 #14 Share Posted June 24, 2012 I love that species. They look so fluffy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted June 24, 2012 #15 Share Posted June 24, 2012 They look half parrot and half owl. Very unusual look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d e v i c e Posted June 24, 2012 #16 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Kudos to the people behind this conservation effort. These are lovely birds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted June 24, 2012 #17 Share Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) They look half parrot and half owl. Very unusual look. A bird who talks all night, then swoops and tries to kill you? I've met a few of those. p.s. That thing nightowls do with the head is truly amazing. Edited June 24, 2012 by Eldorado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockabyeBillie Posted July 2, 2012 #18 Share Posted July 2, 2012 They are SO CUTE! They seem so fat and stupid but I want to cuddle them lol. I'm glad their numbers are rising. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Chicken Posted July 3, 2012 #19 Share Posted July 3, 2012 They are SO CUTE! They seem so fat and stupid but I want to cuddle them lol. I'm glad their numbers are rising. I know, they're those kind of things that you just want to cuddle so much that you then realise that you've crushed every bone in their body and made them become a vegetable... thankfully, parrots have big beaks to stop you from doing that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeathRain2012 Posted July 19, 2012 #20 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Kakapo.. try not to love that. You will not succeed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Chicken Posted July 20, 2012 #21 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Kakapo.. try not to love that. You will not succeed. It's... So... PUDGEY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyche101 Posted July 23, 2012 #22 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Cool! I saw one at Kiwi Bird Life park when I was in Queenstown last year. I thought the park people said they could be quite the thief. Funny how they prefer humans as mates, but I guess so do I. I would say this would have to be one of the few species in the world where almost every individual has a name! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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