24 Feb 2017

Critter of the week: The Karaka Kakariki

From Afternoons, 3:28 pm on 24 February 2017
Orange Fronted Parakeet

Orange Fronted Parakeet Photo: Supplied

DoC's endangered species ambassador, Nicola Toki tells us about Orange Fronted Parakeets or karaka kakariki - one of five parakeets native to NZ.

Orange fronted parakeets are nationally endangered, and are struggling to hold on in the wild (beech forests in Arthur’s Pass) with probably only a few hundred birds remaining there. 

These birds are the rarest of our parakeet/kakariki species.

In the past decade, rat and stoat explosions have wiped out some breeding strongholds and reduced other local populations by up to 85%

Orange Fronted Parakeet Eggs

Orange Fronted Parakeet Eggs Photo: supplied