Nine To Noon Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne
Feb 22, 2026
Kennedy Warne, a journalist who covers New Zealand wildlife and conservation, talks about the live kakapo cam following Rakiura on her nest and the tricky logistics of kakapo breeding. They also explore seabird interactions that threaten eggs and innovative research like electronic dummy eggs. Finally, Kennedy outlines forest bathing science, from plant terpenes to links between forest types and respiratory health.
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Live Cam Chronicles Rakiura Sitting On Eggs
- Kennedy Warne watched Rakiura the kakapo on a 24/7 live cam as she sat on two eggs in a burrow on Whenua Hou / Codfish Island.
- Warne described visiting two decades ago to film a male booming and even held a kakapo during National Geographic reporting, highlighting the bird's rarity and cultural value.
Egg Scarcity Intensifies Kakapo Recovery Pressure
- Only 237 kakapo exist and they breed every 2–4 years, so each egg is critically important for recovery efforts.
- Of 187 eggs laid this season only 74 were fertile and even fertile eggs can fail, prompting intensive conservation interventions.
Petrel Intrusion Led To Smart Egg Swap
- A cook's petrel entered Rakiura's burrow and a confrontation risked damaging an egg, so the team removed the fertile egg to an incubator.
- They replaced it with an electronic dummy egg that peeps to cue maternal behaviour until the real egg is returned at hatching.