On Donating to Kākāpō
John is a successful international entrepreneur who has recently provided funds and help to Kākāpō Recovery. His thoughts on why he’s working to save the species is below.

Since the Big Bang The Universe has conspired with every molecule to create life on earth. And what diverse life she has created!

Imagine if The Universe only liked white bread? Imagine if all life, in the form of bread, was that cotton textured stuff we all grew up on? Ok, I will admit it’s great for making toast, but even then after two bites it tastes so synthetic it becomes indigestible?

How did The Universe figure out how to create the variety of choice we all see around us everyday? How did this all happen? I am not a religious person but I asked my world renowned psychiatrist friend in New York if he was religious. He said no!

I asked him if he believed in God, and he said he wasn’t sure, but mostly not.

He had just told me about how visual, auditory and smell sensations can be stored in  a chemical form at the end of nerves in the human brain for a lifetime. This chemical can be released at a random time in the future triggerd by some event. The release causes the human brain to be flooded by an emotional response, thereby revisiting the same event once again. A smell from childhood? A taste of a spice from a holiday long ago? A noise in the night?

How is this possible I asked him? How could the Universe have made this all happen and it all be down to just chance or evolution? What were the odds?

His response was shattering to me …”I would say the odds are about the same as a meteor hitting a metal scrap yard on earth and after the resulting explosion, a Mercedes Benz is formed and drives out the yard.”

So how can one ignore a species created by the Universe that is on the brink of extinction? How can one look into the eyes of a kākāpō and say “You are a lovely bird, but I’m sorry I can’t help you build a family and fight back to survive?” How did the Universe create this beautiful flightless parrot living in only one place on Earth?

How could Humans allow the demise of such a treasure?

How can anyone not reach into their pocket and give a few cents to give these magnificent birds at least a chance to reverse its tragic decline? How can we not help a team of warriors called Kākāpō Recovery defend and help these docile creatures to at least have a few perches to hold on to? This team have figured out how to do this and all they need is the funds to make it happen.The hard stuff has been figured out, we have the easy job. Helping them get the tools to make this happen.

Having had a lot of luck in life, I understand others may not have been so lucky. Besides chance, it also took other members of my species to help me along the path to success.

At first these successes are measured by things and so called social position.

After that gets old, and again if one is really lucky, one starts seeing this planet through a clearer lens.

The ultimate pleasure is sharing. There is only one good reason to have success, things and life, that is to share them with others in the Universe.

Perhaps I could ask you to also share and help the magic of this universe succeed, a little step at a time, one magaical kākāpō at a time?