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Kākāpō Files II 07 | Full Steam Ahead
Description
The 2026 kākāpō breeding season is all systems go: nearly half of the females of breeding age have mated and so far 15 females are nesting. Technical Advisor Daryl Eason talks about record-breaking female Ongaonga who, at 4 years-old, is the youngest female kākāpō ever to breed. There are plenty of other first-time breeders as well. Six females were successfully inseminated with sperm from under-represented males. Ranger Maddy Whitaker updates us with the latest numbers, including a single fertile egg so far, and tech expert Jake Osborne introduces the kākāpō nest cam, beaming live from Rakiura’s nest on Whenua Hou.
Send any Kākāpō Files questions and comments to kakapo@rnz.co.nz.
In this episode:
00:00 – Introduction
01:25 - Youngest female to mate
04:53 - Daryl Eason on Artificial insemination progress
09:17 - Maddy Whittaker with mating and nesting updates
16:00 - Jake Osborne on the kākāpō nest cam
20:32 - Closing credits…