Kakapo open home, hosted by Google

AUCKLAND: Google Earth is providing a rare insight into the homes of kakapo, providing a virtual tour of their homes on Codfish and Anchor Islands.

The New Zealand parrot is critically endangered and only a handful of conservation staff, volunteers and visitors are able to set foot on the islands each year.

But now everyday people from around the world can have a private, 360degree panoramic view of kakapo in their natural habitat.

Google teamed up with the Department of Conservation and Ngai Tahu to capture the imagery last November.

Planning and capturing the footage took months due to the remote locations and strict quarantine requirements on the predatorfree islands.

The images can now be seen by people around the world after it launched globally on Google Maps and Google Earth earlier this week.

Sir David Attenborough lent support by providing narration in a video about kakapo and their protected island habitats.

Doc kakapo science adviser Andrew Digby said it was a fantastic way to share the kakapo with the world.

‘‘Noone forgets their first kakapo encounter. We want lots of people to be able to see them, but with just 148 individuals, few get the chance.

‘‘Google provides a way for everyone to experience kakapo, the special places in which they live, and some of the work that we do to protect them. — NZME