However, some scholars describe their way of life as if they are living in a time capsule. But in 1975, for the captors of the last Fiordland kakapo, all this was yet to come. The oldest Kakapo parrot to date was 120 years old! Kakapos - the world's fattest species of parrot - … Little is known about the kakapo’s role in its native habitat. ... An estimated 1.5 billion cane toads live … No boats are allowed to land, for fear that rats will be brought ashore. image caption Kakapo were one of New Zealand's most common birds, but are now on the brink of extinction. What would you do with all that time?! Males don't start breeding until they are about four years old, and females around six years of age. Their lifespan is amazing. What is the Kakapo current status? Caretakers live on the island and human access is strictly controlled. The ancient, flightless Kakapo is the world's rarest and strangest parrot. They're possibly one of the longest-lived birds. On average Kakapos live 58 years but can live up to 98 years old! The kakapo is one of New Zealand's best loved birds, and a monumental effort is underway to save it from extinction. The birds live in New Zealand, an island country which had virtually no mammals living on it for millions of years. Questions for Thought. It can’t fly and it hides during the day but a critically endangered large parrot is back in the limelight having been named New Zealand’s bird of the year for an unprecedented second time. 8. They live for over 90 years. They definitely do not drink the elixir of life. What is their secret? The kakapo parrot is a very large, flightless parrot that lives in New Zealand and likes to live alone. Kakapos live life at a slow pace. Somehow, almost prophetically, they named that bird Richard Henry. There are less than 200 of these nocturnal parrots left on the planet. It the only flightless and nocturnal parrot, as well as being the heaviest in the world, weighing up to 3.5 kilograms (8 lbs). The event demonstrated that kakapo are sufficiently adaptable to survive and breed in an alien environment—a small, heavily modified island—and was thus a turning point in kakapo recovery. Kakapo, (Strigops habroptilus), also called owl parrot, giant flightless nocturnal parrot (family Psittacidae) of New Zealand.With a face like an owl, a posture like a penguin, and a walk like a duck, the extraordinarily tame and gentle kakapo is one of strangest and rarest birds on Earth.. How long do Kakapos live for? It is nocturnal, herbivorous, and ground dwelling, though they do spend a lot of time in trees. Kakapos are a critically endangered species, due to fungal infection, predators, genetic inbreeding, and infertility. They have poor eye sight but huge olfactory glands and a remarkable sense of smell. What role(s) do you think this bird might have played? 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