The Kakapo Recovery Team operates on a very limited budget. All of their funding and time is currently focused on what we hope will be an unusually successful breeding season in 2016 thanks to a bumper crop of rimu fruit.

Without the funding from this Experiment project sequencing the genomes of all known living kākāpō will not be possible. Without this genetic information the effectiveness of the kakapo breeding program is reduced.

For the entire project we aim to raise around $65,000 USD. To-date we have raised $25,000 USD and have already started sequencing the first 40 genomes. If this crowdfunding campaign is successful we will have enough to sequence the second batch of 40 genomes. For the final 45 genomes we'll rely on additional funding raised via The Genetic Rescue Foundation's shop.

Additional Information

Kakapo are supplementary fed during breeding, to ensure they're in optimal breeding condition.

Artificial insemination of kakapo is used following natural matings to increase fertility and to ensure the best genetic pairings. Here, Daryl Eason, Kakapo Technical Advisor, checks sperm quality in the field. Photo credit: Tui de Roy.

Kakapo breeding only about every 3 years. Fertility is low, so genetic information is important for maximising productivity. The ideal is to have mothers raise chicks in natural nests, but lack of natural food often means that hand-raising of chicks is necessary.

A recently-hatched kakapo chick.

Sirocco is the Kakapo Programme's advocacy bird. He's imprinted on humans, so isn't part of the breeding population, but does an important job of raising the profile of this critically endangered species. He shot to fame in this BBC documentary.