Sharp shock for duds

Male kakapo birds on Codfish Island are to be tested to see if they are "duds or studs".

National kakapo team leader Paul Jansen said team vet Kate McInnes had left the island this week to pick up an instrument to test the male kakapo.

There was a high degree of infertility among kakapo and it was hoped the tests would find out whether the problem was with the males. "We want to assess whether the males are duds or studs," Mr Jansen said.

The birds had to be sedated before they could receive the shock treatment.

If all the eggs laid were fertile, the number of kakapo could be doubled, he said.

Codfish Island and Maud Island in the Marlborough Sounds are the only places in the world where kakapo are found. Rimu tree fruiting, food pellets and the pest-free environment on Codfish Island are being credited for a record breeding season.

- NZPA

nzherald.co.nz/environment