Meet the Locals: Sirocco the Kākāpō

Join Nicola Toki (née Vallance) as she meets the kākāpō, the world’s rarest and most ancient flightless bird. Department of Conservation Ranger Leigh Joyce introduces us to Sirocco, a kākāpō hand-reared from the nest. From the discs around the eyes which assist with night vision and the bill that acts as a juicer through to their eating and mating habits, Joyce emphatically describes the beauty and behaviours of Sirocco and his fellow kākāpō. This brief audience with one of Aotearoa’s most beloved conservation ambassadors featured on series Meet the Locals, which ran for six seasons. 

One of the guys was swimming and then ... here was Sirocco running along the rails at the end of the jetty, and then suddenly he stopped and he jumped and I’m going 'Aargh!' I thought I was gonna have to jump in after him, and do like CPR or mouth to mouth on a kākāpō.

– Department of Conservation ranger Leigh Joyce describes Sirocco joining in on a night swim

Key Cast & Crew

Nicola Toki (née Vallance)

Presenter