Devastating disease killing our kākāpō baffles scientists

August 4, 2019

Sunday investigates the disease that’s harming our native bird.

It’s been touch and go these past few months for the precious population of our quirky flightless parrot the kākāpō.

In April, disaster struck, a respiratory disease killed some birds and scientists feared the entire population could be taken out.

It happened just as it looked like efforts to shore up our precarious kākāpō population were paying off with a bumper breeding season.

Birds in their island homes in the deep south came down with the devastating disease, baffling scientists.

Seven kākāpō have died, another 13 are critically ill.

The fungal disease Aspergillosis, in birds, means certain death unless they receive intensive medical intervention.

Sunday went inside the purpose-built emergency ward at Auckland Zoo where vets are drawing on expertise from all around the world and where the status of the sick birds is changing day by day.

Watch the full story above.
 

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