DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme is thrilled to announce the births of 101 kākāpō chicks, with a few more fertile eggs expected to hatch over the next few days. However, kākāpō conservation is a roller-coaster and seven chicks have died from illness or injury. Auckland Zoo vet Adam Naylor resuscitated one small chick using CPR and timely sutures saved the life of another; both patients recovered well and are back in the nest with their kākāpō mother or foster mother. Scientist Andrew Digby reports that egg fertility was similar on the two main breeding islands, Whenua Hou and Pukenui/Anchor Island, and that artificial insemination has had a significant positive effect, improving the fertility of eggs.

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In this episode:

00:00 – Introduction
01:02 - Death of male Matamua
02:21 – Auckland Zoo vet Adam Naylor on Kākāpō ER
09:03 - Sarah Manktelow with egg and chick updates
13:32 – Chicks in hospital
16:43 – Updates on Alison, Queenie & Cyndy, & Tiwhiri-A1
21:58 - Andrew Digby on egg fertility across islands
26:24 - AI has improved fertility of eggs
29:58 - Closing credits…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details