Sirocco the kākāpō conservation superstar

The kākāpō who thinks he's human

Sirocco caught a respiratory illness at three weeks old. Treating it meant he had to be hand-raised and kept away from other kākāpō and as a result became imprinted on humans - he doesn't know he's a bird, he thinks he's one of us.

He's still not interested in other kākāpō; he doesn’t associate with them, and instead he booms in the presence of humans. In fact, his bowl (where male kākāpō boom to attract females) is on the track to the toilet behind the hut on Whenua Hou or Codfish Island.

Conservation ambassador

Sirocco on Whenua Hou (Codfish Island)

While he is unlikely to be an effective breeding bird, Sirocco's preference for human company makes him a valuable ambassador for his species.

Because kākāpō are so rare, it’s difficult for the public to get an opportunity to see one. Sirocco lets people connect with this rare and unusual species. He remains a wild bird in that he does not live in captivity, but he has visited a few places in the last few years so that people could have the opportunity to see a kākāpō.

Meet the kākāpō

In 2006, Sirocco had his first public engagement – a three month stint on Ulva Island as part of the Ulva Island Trust’s “Kākāpō Encounter”. Visitors could join a tour to see him in an enclosure in a forest setting for a brief period at dusk. It has been extremely popular, and he has returned there for regular stints since then.

'Minister, meet the Ambassador' - Sirocco
meets Associate Conservation Minister
Kate Wilkinson at Auckland Zoo

In September 2009, Sirocco crossed Cook Strait to bring the wonderful world of the kākāpō to the people of Auckland, with a visit to Auckland Zoo to celebrate Conservation Week. The media coverage he garnered during this time earned him the nickname “Rockstar kākāpō”.

Conservation superstar

His superstar status was elevated again in October 2009, when the BBC series “Last Chance to See” featuring Stephen Fry and Mark Cawardine aired in the UK. A YouTube clip of Sirocco getting ‘up close and personal’ with presenter Mark Cawardine gained more than 700 000 views in just one week!

Fact file

Name: Sirocco (he was named after the hot desert wind of North Africa, continuing a theme of wind-oriented names - his mother's name is Zephyr).

Age: 12 (scientists believe kākāpō can live for between 80-100 years).

Sex: Male (although he has not shown any interest in mating with female kākāpō yet)

Favourite food: Sirocco enjoys special parrot pellets, corn, carrots, broccoli, kumara and macadamia nuts. Kākāpō are vegetarians and eat the leaves and fruit of native trees.

Fascinating fact: Sirocco taught us that kākāpō can swim. In 2007, when visiting Maud Island, he saw the ranger's family running and jumping off the jetty and decided to join them. He paddled back to shore, shook himself off and seemed completely unworried by this event.

Sirocco on Last Chance to See with Stephen Fry and Mark Cawardine

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