Endangered Bird Becomes Internet Sensation: Sirocco the Kakapo Hits the Big Time

The newest online celebrity is not a demented teenybopper gone bad or a divorcing couple; it’s about 12 inches high with iridescent feathers and a story of precarious survival that is still unfolding. Sirocco is a kakapo: a tubby, flightless parrot, native to New Zealand. He is one of only 124 of his kind left in the world. Thanks to dedicated humans and a TV appearance, Sirocco’s Twitter account, established just this week, numbers over 1,800 followers, and he has more than 3,000 Facebook friends. Not bad for a frisky, sexually-confused flightless bird!

Life started hard for Sirocco: born with a respiratory illness, he could only be saved by human intervention. As a result, he is imprinted on humans and unsuitable for life in the wild. His work now is as an emblem of an endangered species, spreading the kakapo cause. Sirocco was featured in a recent BBC series entitled “Last Chance To See,” profiling some of the thousands of species of animals in the world that are threatened with extinction, mostly due to human incursion and our effects on wild habitat. A report last summer by the International Union for Conservation of Nature asserts that “nearly one third of amphibians, more than one in eight birds and nearly a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction.” As the Kakapo Conservation website reminds us, “6 billion people on earth; only 124 kakapo.” Not a good ratio, and one repeated thousands of times over, around the world.

Sirocco makes a nifty mascot. He takes a strong, um, interest in a zoologist in this hysterical video: the poor bird is lonely and wants a mate! 700,000 YouTube views later, a star is born:

British actor Stephen Fry introduces the kakapos’ fate:

Sirocco is named for a warm Mediterranean wind. Let’s hope he wafts into human conscience with a renewed sense of wonder for the amazing and gorgeous creatures on this planet, and a reminder of our responsibility for them.

Photo: A stuffed kakapo in a museum...hopefully not the fate for the species.
photo by Frank Wouters under Creative Commons license

quick poll

vote now!

Loading poll...

no!
leaning no
leaning yes
yes!

no!
leaning no
leaning yes
yes!

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Judith C.

4:56PM PDT on May 27, 2011

Well they can't complain that the locals aren't friendly.

send a green star

Keith S.

5:17PM PST on Nov 7, 2010

I have just finished watching this enormously, intrigueing and wonderful friendship of this bird. I recorded the program from the tv. Unfortunaetly, the video tape wasn't the best and the resulting program was flawed. But, I loved watching this "almost human" bird so much, that I have now ordered the whole series from the BBC shop. If the rest of the series gives me as much enjoyment as "KAKAPO", then it will be money well spent.Seriously, it's worth buying the series just to get KAKAPO. WATCH IT.....YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID.

Geraldine D.

9:15PM PDT on Oct 26, 2009

What a gorgeous (if not somewhat amorous!) bird. Some things done in the name of progress are shameful and I can only hope that this remarkable species survives for future generations to enjoy.

Annabel W.

8:13PM PDT on Oct 16, 2009

@Angela Fawcett
I'll get my gun! :) lol

Angela F.

3:31PM PDT on Oct 15, 2009

THERE SHOULD BE MORE OF THESE AMAZING CREATURES AND LESS HUMANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Audra R.

6:56PM PDT on Oct 12, 2009

Amazing! How friendly...

6:19AM PDT on Oct 12, 2009

What a frisky spokesbird for conservation!

Susan W.

6:49PM PDT on Oct 11, 2009

Love this! I studied sustaining the natural environment in New Zealand this summer, and my class studied the kakapo. They are indeed beautiful birds and the species needs all the help it can get to be preserved.

megan m.

4:04PM PDT on Oct 11, 2009

Its cracking me up when they say "he's taking an Active part in the conservation"! Ha, brilliant!

Kimberly L.

3:23PM PDT on Oct 11, 2009

God Bless these creatures, hopefully enough of humankind can stop the extinction of these wonderful beings.