New Zealand Moved 61 Kakapos to Remote Islands — 40 Years Later, Their DNA Shocked the World

There are roughly 250 kakapo left on Earth. Every single one has a name, a radio transmitter, and a complete DNA sequence on file. Scientists know the genome of each individual bird — and they use that data to decide which birds breed, when they breed, and with whom. It is one of the most intensive genetic rescue operations ever attempted for any species. This video covers how the kakapo went from millions of birds to near-zero in less than a century, what ancient DNA from museum specimens revealed about the original genetic diversity of the species, and how modern genomics gave conservationists a tool they didn't have before. The story includes predator-free islands, 90-year-old parrots, a record-breaking breeding season, and a DNA algorithm that now determines the future of an entire species. Sources: — Dussex N. et al. (2021). Population genomics of the critically endangered kakapo. Cell Genomics, 1(1). — Robertson B.C. et al. (2009). Microsatellite analysis reveals that the critically endangered kakapo is not inbred. Conservation Genetics, 10(5), 1357–1363. — Digby A. et al. (2020). Kakapo Recovery Programme Annual Report 2019–2020. New Zealand Department of Conservation. — Bergner L.M. et al. (2016). Using museum specimens to examine genomic change across time in an endangered species. Molecular Ecology Resources.