It is unknown exactly how many kea are left in the wild, but estimates range from 2,000-5,000 birds.
It is unknown exactly how many kea are left in the wild. Estimates range from only 2,000 to 5,000 birds.
The current population has been estimated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species to number 6,000 individuals. A conservative estimate of one adult female per 2,000 hectares of forest gives a total population of 4,000 mature individuals in the population. Productivity estimates predict one juvenile for every breeding pair, giving a total population of about 6,000 birds.
• Image | ©️ Joaquin Corbalan, Some Rights Reserved, (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
• Sources | (BirdLife International, 2017; del Hoyo, Elliott, Sargatal, Christie, & de Juana, 2017; Diamond & Bond, 1999; Williams, 2001)
