Sirocco (parrot)
Sirocco in 2010
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| Species | Kakapo, Strigops habroptila |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born |
23 March 1997 Codfish Island, New Zealand |
| Nation from | New Zealand |
| Known for | Attempting to mate with Mark Carwardine on BBC series Last Chance to See Ambassador for his species and for conservation |
| Parents | Zephyr (mother) Felix (father) |
| biography on DoC website | |
Sirocco is a kakapo, a large nocturnal parrot, and one of the few remaining kakapo in the world. He achieved individual fame following an incident on the BBC television series Last Chance to See in which he attempted to mate with zoologist Mark Carwardine. Subsequent featuring of the incident on television channels around the world and on YouTube resulted in Sirocco becoming internationally known. In his home country of New Zealand, Sirocco has attracted thousands of people during 'personal' appearances, and in January 2010 was given the title of Official Spokesbird for Conservation by Prime Minister John Key. In this role, Sirocco helps advocate for conservation through human intermediaries on social media sites and blogs.
Sirocco was hatched on 23 March 1997 on Codfish Island off the west coast of Stewart Island, south of the New Zealand mainland. At three weeks old he suffered a respiratory illness which led to him being taken away from his mother, Zephyr, and hand-raised by Department of Conservation rangers.
He had to be raised away from other kakapo and this led to him being imprinted on humans. As an older bird, he still does not associate with other kakapo. This extends to the mating ritual of 'booming'; Sirocco booms in the presence of humans, rather than female kakapo. Sirocco is therefore seen as unlikely to be successful when it comes to breeding. However, his affinity to human beings means he has become an effective advocate for the kakapo species.
As Codfish Island, a protected sanctuary, is closed to the public, this has involved Sirocco travelling away from his home. Since 2006 he has regularly appeared on Ulva Island as part of a 'kakapo encounter'; then in September 2009 he travelled to Auckland Zoo where he was visited by thousands of people. Sirocco appeared at Zealandia wildlife sanctuary in October 2011 and at Maungatautari Ecological Island in 2012. In 2015, he visited Zealandia again for another six week residence.
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Wikipedia