Sirocco the kakapo's $400 dinner

Fairfax NZ

CHEEKY BIRDY: Sirocco the kakapo has raised $400 for bird conservation with his regurgitated meal.

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His frisky behaviour earned him YouTube fame, now a kakapo's regurgitated dinner has raked in $400 for bird conservation.

Sirocco became an online sensation in 2009 when a zoologist's head became the victim of his misguided romantic moves.

The incident, caught on film by a BBC crew for a Stephen Fry documentary about endangered species, has attracted more than three million views.

Drawing on this fame, Sirocco's "pine chews" were listed on Trade Me last week to raise money for kakapo conservation.

The listing, which closed last night, admitted the "dried organic matter" may look illegal but assured buyers it was only pine needles infused with the saliva of an "extremely rare native parrot".

The listing attracted more than 10,000 views but Auckland lawyer Adrienne Wing was the lucky winner of Sirocco's "tenderly masticated" meal.

Her $400 bid will go to the Kakapo Recovery programme which is charged with looking after the remaining 131 kakapo left in the world.

Sirocco currently lives at the Zealandia wildlife sanctuary in Wellington and has become a "spokesbird" for conservation following his frisky on-air encounter.

Mark Carwardine, the unsuspecting zoologist at the centre of Sirocco's unsavoury behaviour, now describes the bird as a "great friend" and says he is "delighted" the parrot has become a roving ambassador for kakapo recovery.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Lauren   #1   05:18 pm Oct 31 2011

Hi there,

Just a small edit - Sirocco is, unfortunately, only with us at ZEALANDIA until Nov 14th. Then he's off back home to Maud Island. We are running night tours every evening www.visitzealandia.com/kakapo

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