Kuro5hin: The oddest bird in the world gets a boost.
The kakapo is remarkable for a number of comical features. They don’t fly — instead they waddle across the forest floor with a distinctive gait, and climb trees in order to forage, hanging on with their impressively large claws and beaks. They build tracks for themselves through the bush, using their beaks to clip off any outgrowth which gets in the way. During mating season, the males gather on hilltops and make a series of booming calls so loud and so deep that conservation staff claim you can actually feel them throbbing in the air. They are also reknowned for having a strong, honey-like body odour.
… [New Zealand] would certainly be a poorer place without this species, and I’m sure the world would miss some of its weirdest wildlife. … However, there has been a excellent rimu crop this year, and eighteen of the remaining females are incubating eggs.”
Really, that’s it. Do not insert your own sarcastic kakapo comment here. Sometimes it’s just nice to know there’s more going on in the world than the narrow window we build for ourselves online.
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