The population of New Zealand's treasured kākāpō has now reached 252, the highest number of the endangered birds seen in almost 50 years, the country's Department of Conservation announced. Kākāpō are flightless nocturnal parrots that are unique to New Zealand and a taonga (or treasure) for Ngāi Tahu, the Māori people of the southern islands, the Department of Conservation noted in a news release. The bird is one of the most distinctive roaming the Earth – with an owl-like face, pot belly and life span that can reach 90 years. But the kākāpō has been critically endangered for decades. 📸 Courtesy of Dr. Andrew Digby