Rephonic
Artwork for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II

Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II

RNZ
Kākāpō
Antarctica
Climate Change
New Zealand
Department Of Conservation
Breeding Season
Scott Base
Predator Free 2050
Whenua Hou
Sea Ice
Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Antarctic Peninsula
Artificial Insemination
Aspergillosis
Bycatch
Auckland Zoo
Aotearoa
Oceans
Marine Reserves
Wandering Albatross

The Kākāpō Files podcast is back with what’s set to be the biggest breeding season of all time for the world’s favourite parrot. Monthly episodes from late May 2026.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes64Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ScienceNatural Sciences

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II

Latest Episodes

Half of the chicks from this record-breaking kākāpō breeding season have fledged and left their nests for good, but are still being fed by their mums. The tally of living chicks has dropped to 92 with the death of a chick from Te Kākahu/Chalky Island... more

The tally of confirmed living kākāpō chicks goes down with two further deaths, but gets a welcome boost with the confirmation of a living chick in a previously inaccessible nest. This brings the number of living chicks to 93, ranging in weight from 7... more

Alison Ballance spends a week on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, one of three kākāpō breeding islands. She follows rangers from DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme as they go about their daily and nightly nest visits to check on the rapidly growing chicks. Al... more

DOC’s Kākāpō Recovery Programme says that the 2026 kākāpō breeding season is officially the biggest on record, and that all chicks have now hatched. At least 256 eggs were laid in 80 nests, of which at least 106 hatched. There are currently 99 chicks... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Sarah Little
Kākāpō ranger known for nest and breeding updates
DOC Kākāpō Team
Episode: Kākāpō Files II 17 | Kākāpō Adoption Birds
Lydia Udstrom
Veterinary advisor updating on chick health and treatment
Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Episode: Kākāpō Files II 17 | Kākāpō Adoption Birds
Jess Wagner
Kākāpō ranger on Pukinui; manages birds including Jem
DOC Kākāpō Team
Episode: Kākāpō Files II 17 | Kākāpō Adoption Birds
Theo Thompson
Kākāpō ranger providing adoption roundups
DOC Kākāpō Team
Episode: Kākāpō Files II 17 | Kākāpō Adoption Birds
Tanē Davis
Representative on the Kākāpō Recovery Group
Ngāi Tahu / Kākāpō Recovery
Episode: Kākāpō Files II 16 | Kākāpō Chicks Growing Up
Lydia Uddstrom
Veterinary Advisor
DOC
Episode: Kākāpō Files II 16 | Kākāpō Chicks Growing Up
Deidre Vercoe
Operations Manager, Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Department of Conservation
Episode: Kākāpō Files II 14 | Biggest Kākāpō Breeding Season
Daryl Easton
Kākāpō Technical Advisor
Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Episode: Kākāpō Files II 14 | Biggest Kākāpō Breeding Season
Daniella Whitaker
Kākāpō Ranger
Kākāpō Recovery Programme
Episode: Kākāpō Files II 14 | Biggest Kākāpō Breeding Season

Host

Alison Balance
Host of Kākāpō Files / The Kākāpō Files

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 50 ratings
  • Best Parrots in the world

    This pod is a lovely companion to the cam and the videos with the cheery Kia Ora greetings. Will keep an eye out for any updates. Hugs to Rakiura and all

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Witch's cat
    Canada3 days ago
  • Champions of nature

    I love the dedication New Zealand has to its unique environment it makes me want to go meet all these animals. The kakapo story is amazing. I hope I can see one someday.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ilovetrash
    United States4 months ago
  • ASMR Excellence

    I love everything about this show. Every season is perfect. Honestly

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    oldjohnhall
    United States7 months ago
  • Kindred Podcast

    Lovely podcast. A calm, quiet meditation on aspects of the Natural world. Mostly quiet 😉

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    otisandroo
    United States10 months ago
  • Blew my expectations

    Like most people I can appreciate the hard work that conservationist do to keep out wild planet safe for future generations. I was looking for a short podcast for the holiday weekend while my regular scheduled podcast programs come back on Monday. I have to say this was beautiful put together. If you close your eyes you instantly transported to New Zealand with the team of conservationist and the Kākāpō’s they are trying to conserve. I never thought I’d be so into a NatGeo type program with no v... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Echo 2 Golf
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show blends scientific detail with heartfelt, human stories from field staff.
Listeners appreciate the clear updates on breeding season progress and bird health.
Audience values accurate, inside-baseball updates and behind-the-scenes perspectives from conservation teams.
Production quality and guest expertise are frequently praised, with some callers seeking fresh season updates from on-island teams.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Kākāpō Files II 16 | Kākāpō Chicks Growing Up
Q: How is the vaccination program progressing for the chicks?
Vaccinations against erosypolis have started at key nests like Bukunui and Whanauaho, with a positive track record of preventing past disease-related deaths.
Kākāpō Files II 16 | Kākāpō Chicks Growing Up
Q: What was the most memorable moment of the season so far?
The discovery that the Ongong Nest produced three fertile eggs after initially showing no signs of development, all of which hatched, stood out as a remarkable turn of events.
Kākāpō Files II 07 | Full Steam Ahead
Q: If a Kākāpō female mates with more than one male, or if she mates and also has artificial insemination, and if there are chicks, is it possible they could have different fathers?
Yes, they can have multiple fathers, but it doesn't seem to happen very often, usually about two-thirds of the time the last male to mate fathers the chicks.
Kākāpō Files II 07 | Full Steam Ahead
Q: So what's their success rate?
Five-year-old females have pretty much the same success rate as older females, indicating they are capable mothers.
Kākāpō Files II 03 | Kākāpō Countdown
Q: Why is their microbiome so dull?
The microbiome of kākāpō is very low diversity, mostly consisting of strains of E coli, which is unusual given their varied diet.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II

What is Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on one of New Zealand's most famous endangered birds, with a heavy emphasis on breeding season updates, veterinary care, and on-the-ground field reporting. Episodes mix scientific updates on nest counts, egg fertility, and genetics with human-interest stories about rangers, veterinarians, and conservation staff, highlighting technology, artificial insemination, and island logistics that drive the recovery effort. A standout element is the close collaboration with government and research institutions, Ngāi Tahu partners, and on-site clinics, delivering a highly actionable, up-to-date picture of a large-scale conservation program. Potential listeners will find practical takeaways for field operations, media storytelling, and... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II:

1. Saturday Morning
2. The Detail
3. Sunday Morning
4. Comedy of the Week
5. The Life Scientific

How many episodes of Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II are there?

Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II launched a year ago and published 64 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II?

Recent guests on Wild Sounds: Kākāpō Files II include:

1. Sarah Little
2. Lydia Udstrom
3. Jess Wagner
4. Theo Thompson
5. Tanē Davis
6. Lydia Uddstrom
7. Deidre Vercoe
8. Daryl Easton

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days