These wee chicks are orange-fronted parakeet (kākāriki karaka) and here our bird keepers Nat and Casey are checking these birds are release-ready by collecting samples for  health checks.

We’ve bred 18 of these incredibly rare New Zealand parakeets this year, for release into the Hurunui Valley  - a MASSIVE boost to an estimated wild population of just 200!

We’re on a mission to conserve these nationally endangered birds with our partners The Department of Conservation and Isaacs Conservation Trust in Christchurch.

Visit our adult kākāriki karaka in The High Country aviary and you’re helping us to continue our Wild Work in Aotearoa.