And now for something completely different - a tale of flying kākāpō sperm. The mind does slightly boggle, but it's actually the latest innovation the Department of Conservation is using in its bid to boost the population of the flightless parrot. Kākāpō Files producer Alison Ballance was on Whenua Hou / Codfish island and filed this report.
Flying kākāpō sperm - a world first. DOC's Kākāpō Recovery Team manager Deidre Vercoe with 'spermcopter' drone pilot Anton Marsden, and sperm expert Andreas Bublat holding a tiny vial of kākāpō sperm. Photo: RNZ / Alison Ballance
You can listen to a longer story about the spermcopter in episode 10 of the Kakapo Files: flying kākāpō sperm.
Scientist Andrew Digby from DOC's Kakapo Recovery Team is using drones as part of the management programme for the rare flightless parrot. Photo: RNZ / Alison Ballance
