The chicks are hatching

The first two chicks of the 2019 kākāpō breeding season have hatched and the exciting news keeps coming in, in episode 7 of the Kākāpō Files.

The first chicks of the 2019 kākāpō breeding season have hatched.

The first kākāpō chick hatched at 8.30pm on the 30th January 2019. Its mother is Waikawa, and its father is probably Horton. It was conceived on Anchor Island and hatched in the incubator room on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island.

The second chick hatched mid-afternoon on the 31st January. Its mother is Tiwhiri.

By the end of January, 49 out of 50 kākāpō females on Anchor Island and Whenua Hou/Codfish Island had mated. Hoki, the first kākāpō to be hand-reared, is the latest female to mate, and only young Mahli, who is not quite 5-years-old, has not mated.

All but 7 females have nested so far, and between them they have laid 136 eggs. This number will increase as more females nest and lay.

Kākāpō scientist Andrew Digby reports that only 43 percent of the eggs have been fertile, which is less than usual.

Infertility is thought to be due to high levels of inbreeding in the population. The Kākāpō Recovery Team is carrying out an assisted breeding programme to maximise genetic diversity, and Andrew reports that they have carried out artificial insemination on three females so far.

Breaking news

1 February update: breeding has begun on Hauturu/Little Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf. Lisa has mated with Jester.

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