National Spokesbird Arriving in Wellington
Wellington, NZ – New Zealand’s National Spokesbird for Conservation, Sirocco Kākāpō arrives in the capital next week
ahead of his six-week stint at ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary.
Sirocco was hand-raised as a chick after respiratory complications, and has since imprinted on humans, believing he is
one of us. It was this imprinted behaviour that lead to Sirocco’s rise in fame, after ‘shagging’ Mark Carwardine in 2009
in front of a very bemused Stephen Fry.
The world famous parrot is now just one of 125 kākāpō left in the world, after news of 16 year-old female bird Ellie
dying last week. With the entire population living on protected offshore islands, not many New Zealanders get a chance
to see the rare nocturnal parrots.
Sirocco will be at ZEALANDIA from 1st August to 13th September, with encounters running daily from 6:30pm. To book a
chance to see this rare bird, go to www.visitzealandia.com/sirocco.
Sirocco is brought to Wellington by Kākāpō Recovery, Department of Conservation, NZ Aluminium Smelters, and Forest & Bird.
ENDS