New Zealand\u2019s k\u0101k\u0101p\u014d has reached its highest population in the modern recovery program, with 90 chicks bringing the official total to 325 on September 1, 2026. For a parrot reduced to just 51 birds in 1995, that is a remarkable turnaround.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the world\u2019s heaviest parrot remains critically endangered, and its comeback now raises a practical question. Where will the growing population live safely? These nocturnal, flightless birds still depend on protected habitat<\/a>, making room to grow an essential part of their recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new arrivals were added to the official count after the youngest surviving chick reached 150 days old. By that point, young k\u0101k\u0101p\u014d have fledged and are considered sufficiently independent to enter the tally, so the announcement represents birds that survived their vulnerable early months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn the early years of recovery, it took 16 years to produce that many chicks,\u201d said Deidre Vercoe, K\u0101k\u0101p\u014d Recovery Operations Manager at New Zealand\u2019s Department of Conservation (DOC). The comparison shows how far the program has come, although these youngsters still have years ahead before they can contribute offspring of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy these 90 chicks matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n