Bravo the Brave
Bravo is a beautiful juvenile kākāpō that is in hospital for treatment of cloacitis/vent dermatitis colloquially known as "Crusty Bum".
This disease is only found in kākāpō on Whenua Hou and in spite of many years of research involving scientists and experts from around NZ as well as the world, the primary cause is still a mystery. Most birds develop a mild case that they recover from quickly without veterinary intervention. Some birds, like poor Bravo, develop a more severe form that is very painful and debilitating. Afflicted birds are often very unwell and lose a lot of weight. Luckily, it is reasonably straightforward to treat with antibiotics, lots of pain killers of course and topical ointment onto the lesions around the vent and into the cloaca.
Bravo is doing really well in hospital and the infection has mostly cleared up and he is back to his usual naughty antics! Enjoy this footage from our "spy cam" which has captured some of the silliness.
To learn more about these beautiful birds head to the following links:
https://www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/kaka...
/ kakaporecovery