A Kakapo conservation group has received an influx of donations and adoptions after a post on image-sharing and website Imgur went viral yesterday.
A series of photos were uploaded by an Imgur user under the name "prinnnneh", along with a description of the flightless parrot.
"Nothing can prepare you for a meeting with a kakapo... These weird creatures are, without doubt, one of the most remarkable birds in the world," the post reads.
"But they need our help to survive... Since Imgur has gotten so much joy out of this fantastic bird, it's is only fair that we return the favour and bring some joy back to kakapo themselves."
Jenny Rickett from Kakapo Recovery told ONE News Now the post went "nuts over the weekend", resulting in generous donations.
"It's been amazing, in 48 hours we received over $3000 in donations plus an increase in adoptions," Ms Rickett says.
"It's fantastic that there are people out there willing to help the species."
Over 280,000 people have viewed the post since it was uploaded two days ago.
The post amassed over 1,000 comments, many from Kiwis thanking the post creator for raising awareness.
"As a New Zealander, this is cool to see... Please help our fat musty parrots, they need all the help they can get," wrote one person.
"Help us please, these birds are amazing cheeky wee things," wrote another.
