- Conservation status
- In serious trouble
This bird once eyeballed extinction but has since made an almighty comeback. Once it had five birds to its name, now it numbers 300 birds. So all of today's kakaruia are descendants of the last breeding pair, Old Blue (f) and Old Yellow (m). This amazing turn-around modeled new fostering programmes to save other endangered birds around the world.
Campaign Manager
VUWSA
After securing a podium finish last year, the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association (VUWSA) is once again championing the Karure in the Bird of the Year campaign.
These birds are true underdogs, having already survived a near-miss extinction. Their conservation story is exactly what makes Karure a worthy contender for Bird of the Year. After all, coming back from second place is nothing compared to coming back from the brink of extinction.
We’re calling on everyone, especially students, to reclaim this election—vote Karure for Bird of the Year 2025! 💚
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