Auckland, May 17 -- In a major step forward for the recovery of New Zealand's critically endangered kakapo, scientists have successfully used artificial insemination (AI) to improve fertility and preserve rare genetics in the species.
According to a study conducted by New Zealand's Department of Conservation, the University of Otago, and Germany's Justus Liebig University Giessen, AI offers a powerful conservation tool to help save one of the world's rarest parrots, by enhancing reproductive success and preserving essential genetic diversity.
Only 142 kakapo, the rare flightless New Zealand parrot, were alive in 2019, up from just 51 in 1995, but the population continues to face challenges due to low fertility and high embryo mortality, s...