Te Papa blog logo

Life on Pukenui Anchor Island as volunteer cook for the Kākāpō Recovery team

A kākāpō chick in a polystyrene box.

For two weeks in late March and early April 2026, Botany Curator Heidi Meudt took some time off botany work to be a Department of Conservation volunteer for birds – specifically, a volunteer cook for the Kākāpō Recovery team.

For Heidi, this was the opportunity of a lifetime to visit this isolated, predator-free biological paradise. She shows how she made a small, personal contribution to the conservation of the kākāpō and to the team that looks after these incredible birds.

Read Heidi’s blog

You might also like

 
A watercolour of a kākāpō bird

Browse kākāpō on Collections Online

 
A taxidermied kākāpō on a piece of wood.

Read: Herbarium specimens offer a rare glimpse into the historical hunt for Fiordland kākāpō

 

Already subscribed to the blog?
Find out what else is happening at Te Papa

Kei mahue ko ērā atu hui! Kia mau tonu ki ngā pānui i Te Papa.
Don’t miss out on our other events! Stay in the loop with the What's On Te Papa newsletter.
Subscribe
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Copyright © 2026 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted to receive updates when Te Papa has a new blog post.

Our mailing address is:
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
55 Cable St
Wellington, Wellington 6011
New Zealand

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list