Southland: Prince of parrots
April 29, 2007 — Filed in: Conservation
It is hardly surprising we were a bit tense at the prospect of meeting one of only 86 kakapo left in the world.
But, despite his importance, Sirocco, who gave an audience in a special enclosure, attended by his minder Jo, was a very down-to-earth bird.
We’d read of the opportunity to get close to a kakapo in the Let’s Go NZ column of Herald Travel and it seemed too good an opportunity to miss.
We travelled to the southernmost part of the country, first to Stewart Island, then to Ulva Island, where Sirocco was residing temporarily.
Darkness had fallen swiftly during our 20-minute walk from the small wharf at Ulva Island where our sturdy boat had landed us.
After a routine quarantine check to make sure we weren’t carrying rats, mice or seeds to this predator-free, open bird sanctuary, we were given torches and a briefing to prepare us for our meeting with the famous bird.
