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Conservation Spotlight • New Zealand
Brinsea Incubators Helping Save the Endangered Kākāpō in New Zealand
Supporting the Kākāpō Recovery Programme with precise temperature and humidity control for one of the world’s rarest birds.
The kākāpō is a critically endangered, flightless parrot found only in New Zealand and one of the world’s rarest birds. Thanks to an intensive conservation programme, its population has recovered from just 51 birds in 1995 to 235 adult kākāpō alive today.
The critically endangered, flightless New Zealand kākāpō
Precious kākāpō eggs safely incubating in Brinsea incubators (Photo: @deidre_vercoe)
Brinsea’s Mini and Maxi incubators are playing a small but important part in the kākāpō breeding programme. During the 2026 breeding season, eggs on Whenua Hou were brought into the safety of incubators to protect them from accidental damage in their nests.
Specialists from the Department of Conservation’s Kākāpō Recovery programme, Auckland Zoo, and the National Kiwi Hatchery carefully manage temperature and humidity as each precious egg develops, before returning chicks to a natural or foster nest wherever possible. We are extremely proud that Brinsea incubators are being used to support the conservation and recovery of this extraordinary species.
1
Nest Protection on Whenua Hou
Vulnerable eggs are carefully collected from wild nests to safeguard them from accidental crushing or predation.
2
Precision Incubation
Specialists manage exact temperature and humidity inside Brinsea Mini and Maxi incubators as each embryo develops.
3
Return to the Wild
Newly hatched kākāpō chicks are returned to natural or foster mothers on the sanctuary island wherever possible.
Key Conservation Partners:
DOC Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Auckland Zoo
National Kiwi Hatchery
Brinsea Mini & Maxi Incubators
Explore the Brinsea Mini and Maxi series trusted by conservationists and breeders worldwide: