Birds
Kākāpō helpers
Volunteers from around the world are helping the kākāpō team, with tasks ranging from feeding birds and people, looking after the power system on Whenua Hou and studying kākāpō sperm. We meet them in… Audio
Rifleman takes a perch in Wellington
New Zealand's smallest bird is coming to the capital. Around 60 tīti-pounamu, or rifleman birds are being translocated to Zealandia. Director of the Centre for People and Nature at Zealandia Dr… Audio
Kākāpō rangers
There is a hard-working team of island rangers helping save kākāpō, working day and night, and the chick tally has reached 44, in episode 11 of the Kākāpō Files. Audio
Our Changing World for 28 February 2019
Professor Allan Blackman from AUT explores the chemical elements actinium and americium, and the Kakapo Files podcast catches up with the work of the island rangers. Audio
Our Changing World for 21 February 2019
A citizen science project on plastic pollution in streams and flying kākāpō sperm takes to the air. Audio
Flying kākāpō sperm
In a world-first for kākāpō conservation, a drone (nicknamed the 'spermcopter') has flown kākāpō sperm across Whenua Hou / Codfish Island - the Kākāpō Files was there for episode 10. Audio
Our Changing World for 14 February 2019
The evolution of the Kiwi accent, and many more kakapo eggs and chicks. Audio
Call for Far North council to act on bird deaths
Hundreds of birds - including protected species - have died in an outbreak of avian botulism in sewage ponds in Kaitaia. Fish and Game says the disease is triggered by hot weather - and the Far North… Audio
On the island
More than 160 kākāpō eggs have been laid and the first 21 chicks have hatched, but there is also news of the first chick death, in episode 9 of the Kākāpō Files. Audio
Crows solve tricky problem by planning ahead, study finds
Auckland scientists have shown that New Caledonian crows - already known for their toolmaking abilities - also have impressive planning skills.
Round two begins
The chicks that have hatched are off to Dunedin, the females have started mating again, and there is breeding action on Hauturu, all in episode 8 of the Kākāpō Files. Audio
Our Changing World for 31 January 2019
How to squish drugs through the skin using nanotechnology, and keeping up with the kakapo. Audio
The chicks are hatching
The first two chicks of the 2019 kākāpō breeding season have hatched and the exciting news keeps coming in, in episode 7 of the Kākāpō Files. Audio
The Kākāpō Files: Full House
Forty eight out of fifty kākāpō females on the southern islands have mated, nesting is well underway and the first AI has been carried out, all in episode 6 of the Kākāpō Files. Audio
Our Changing World for 24 January 2019
Fish earbones are tiny treasure troves of information about a fish's life and where it lives, and catching up on all the kakapo breeding action in the first month of the Kakapo Files podcast. Audio
Super-studs & hitting the reset button
The most popular kākāpō males will get a chance to do it all over again as the females are encouraged to mate and nest for a second time, in episode 5 of the Kākāpō Files. Audio
Action stations
Don't count your kākāpō chicks until they hatch, kākāpō leaky homes and lots more kākāpō sex, all in episode 4 of the Kākāpō Files. Audio
Woof Woof the talking tui
Woof Woof the talking tui inspired University of Otago student Joel Zwartz to find out how birds and people talk. Audio
Busy birds
Kākāpō breeding action really kicked off on Christmas Eve and in episode 3 of the Kākāpō Files we discover it is in full swing. Audio
Kākāpō - night parrot
The kākāpō is one of the world's rarest birds, and in the first episode of the Kākāpō Files we learn about the giant flightless parrot's 'love triangle.' Audio