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>A record 90 chicks have been added to the count of the endangered kakapo parrot, bringing the population to a record 325 birds, the New Zealand Conservation Department said in a statement Tuesday.

>The fledglings of the bird, which is native to New Zealand, were bred this year. The youngest is now 150 days old, a milestone at which the baby birds are considered independent enough to be added to the tally.

>“There is still a long road of recovery ahead, but ninety chicks in a single season is a record. In the early years of recovery, it took 16 years to produce that many chicks,” said Deidre Vercoe, manager of the department’s kakapo recovery operations.

>“We had a four-year gap between breeding seasons, so it’s fantastic to finally see the population increase,” she said in a statement. “It’s also a significant milestone for the species, as the last time the population is thought to have exceeded 300 birds may have been as long as 75 years ago.”

>The Kakapo Recovery Programme began in 1995 with a population of just 51 birds, including only 20 females. Since then, the species has been through 13 breeding seasons, with recovery efforts working to overcome challenges associated with low genetic diversity, including infertility and poor hatching success. The successful season also highlights the importance of creating more predator-free habitats for the species.

https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/kakapo-parrot-baby-boom-worlds-heaviest-bird-rise-new-zealand-rcna595479