Successful artificial insemination of Kakapo gives hope to critically endangered bird

Sperm was removed from some of the less dominant males to increase the gene pool.

December 2009. The New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) kakapo recovery team has carried out a world first - the successful artificial insemination of a wild bird population.

Paternity tests confirmed artificial insemination (AI), assisted by international bird reproduction expert Dr Juan Blanco, produced two chicks from two different females this breeding season.

Deidre Vercoe, kakapo recovery manager, said "This is a major break through for the recovery programme. Infertility has been a big problem. Successful AI means we have a tool to improve fertility rates and minimize the loss of genetic diversity within the small but growing kakapo population."

50% of eggs infertile
In 2005 more than 50 per cent of the eggs were infertile with inbreeding thought to be a contributing factor.

"There are several males who dominate the gene pool, now we can collect sperm from other males and improve their odds of producing off-spring," said Ms Vercoe.

While successful AI has been achieved using freshly collected kakapo sperm, the team continues its work towards cryopreservation (Deep freezing) as a management tool. The ability to store sperm longer term gives great hope for the ongoing genetic health of the species.

"We have a population of ‘founder' birds from Stewart Island that are of an unknown age. AI with cryopreserved sperm may give us the ability to include their valuable genetics in the population long after they are gone."

6 female kakapo artificially inseminated
Six female kakapo were artificially inseminated using different sperm storage techniques. Sperm collected and refrigerated for 2-5 hours before insemination was the most successful method, resulting in two female chicks.

33 chicks hatched in breeding season
The kakapo chicks were two of 33 that successfully hatched during the 2009 breeding season which took the kakapo population past the 100-mark for the first time in decades.

The work was carried out under the guidance of Dr Blanco who returned for his fourth year with the kakapo team. He believes the result is a world first for a wild bird population.
International bird reproduction expert Dr Juan Blanco's visits to Codfish Island were sponsored by Rio Tinto Alcan as part of the Kakapo Recovery partnership.

Financial support was also received from The McKee Trust who donated $45,000. This enabled staff from Nelson's Cawthron Institute to provide technical assistance with kakapo sperm analysis and cryopreservation trials.

"Juan's time on the island (Codfish Island) has given us a lot of confidence planning for the next breeding season. We now have the ability to work on improving the genetic health of future kakapo," Ms Vercoe said.