Species: Kea (Nestor notabilis)
Location: New Zealand
Status: Endemic native species, endangered
Kea are the world’s only alpine parrot, and their numbers are declining. The researchers needed to track kea in New Zealand’s rugged Southern Alps to monitor their survival, breeding, and losses from predation by introduced feral cats.
Altitude Conservation’s Multi-Track Aircraft Ranger allowed the team to cover huge distances over extremely difficult terrain. The system simultaneously tracked up to 500 birds, improving tracking efficiency and avoiding the risk of missing any unmonitored frequencies while flying.
