Part 7/10:
The arrival of humans in New Zealand approximately 800 years ago proved catastrophic for many native species, including the Kakapo. The introduction of mammalian predators such as rats and cats wreaked havoc on bird populations that had evolved without defenses against such threats.
By the 1990s, relentless predation saw the Kakapo population plummet to just 50 individuals, making the species one of the world’s most endangered birds. Conservationists now face the immense task of reversing the tide of extinction through intensive recovery efforts.