The Department of Conservation (DOC) is carrying out a bird-flu vaccination programme for the kākāpō, New Zealand’s critically endangered parrot. Multiple outlets report that about 90 kākāpō are expected to receive the vaccine, including newly hatched chicks. The vaccination effort is centred on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, the main site of the Kākāpō Recovery Programme. According to DOC’s planning, vaccinations take place before the return of seabirds to the island, reducing the risk of bringing the disease into the population during peak contact. The Otago Daily Times and NZ Herald both describe the programme as a response to the arrival of bird flu in New Zealand, and present DOC’s update as progress in protecting the species. The vaccination is part of ongoing biosecurity measures intended to limit exposure and safeguard the remaining breeding birds. Details on timing and exact numbers can vary slightly between reports, but both say the effort focuses on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island and involves roughly 90 kākāpō, including young birds.