New Zealand’s kakapo population has reached 325 birds, passing the 300 mark for the first time in about 75 years in a landmark moment for one of the world’s rarest parrots.

The flightless, nocturnal parrot, found only in New Zealand, was once reduced to a handful of survivors on remote islands. Intensive conservation work, including predator-free island sanctuaries, supplementary feeding and close monitoring of every individual bird, has driven the slow recovery.

Each kakapo is known to conservation staff by name, and the birds carry transmitters so their health and movements can be tracked. Breeding seasons are carefully managed, with eggs and chicks moved to the safest locations.

The milestone reflects decades of effort by the Department of Conservation’s Kakapo Recovery programme, supported by volunteers and donors. The programme’s goal is a self-sustaining population that can survive without constant human intervention.

Conservationists say the recovery offers hope for other critically endangered species, showing that even birds reduced to a few dozen individuals can bounce back with sustained, science-led effort.