We met Sirocco the Kakapo at Auckland Zoo during conservation week September 14th to 23rd 2009

The New Zealand Parrot Society's logo features a Kakapo, but members rarely get the chance to see one.

Sirocco, one of just 124 kakapo in the world, visited Auckland Zoo in celebration of Conservation Week (13 – 20 September 2009).

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet this extraordinary and charismatic bird, the world's largest and rarest parrot – found only in New Zealand, and today only surviving on a few southern sanctuary islands.

It's a great honour for the zoo to have 12-year-old male Sirocco visit – an advocate for his species who's become something of a conservation superstar! His visit was made possible thanks to our partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC) and its Southern Islands' Area kakapo team.

He is now back on Codfish Island. Catch up with him on his facebook blog at 

http://www.facebook.com/friends/?filter=afp&ref=tn#/profile.php?id=1104962903

Also you can see Sirocco on Last Chance To See where he gets funky with a cameraman. Parental Guidance may be needed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vfsHYiKY