Nature & Environment
New Zealand 'night parrot' numbers increase
By
T.K. RandallJune 23, 2012 ·
21 comments
Image Credit: CC 3.0 Mnolf
A mammoth conservation effort has helped bring one of the rarest birds back from the brink of extinction.
The flightless green kakapo or "night parrot" has seen its numbers plummet to fewer than 50 individuals, making it one of the most endangered species on the planet. The helpless birds have little in the way of a defense mechanism and tend to freeze when threatened making them easy pickings for predators.
Due to a concerted conservation effort however the kakapo population has at last been rising and now stands at 126 individuals. It is hoped that their numbers will continue to increase and that this remarkable species will soon be a common sight in New Zealand once again.
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.
Source:
Yahoo! News |
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