A kakapo chick hatched on Thursday on Anchor Island, in Fiordland and the Department of Conservation (Doc) says it is the first hatched there in the 26 years of the kakapo recovery programme.
Doc kakapo/takahe operations manager Deidre Vercoe said more were expected over the coming weeks on Anchor and Codfish Island, near Stewart Island, making it a "dream start'' to a record breeding season.
"To date, 37 females ... have mated and we expect most of them will nest, although egg fertility may be an issue.''
There are 124 kakapo left in the world, not counting chicks.
Rangers were mourning the death of Smoko, one of the original males in the recovery programme, who died on Codfish on Tuesday, possibly as a result of a fight with another male.
Smoko was discovered on Stewart Island 25 years ago so his age was unknown, she said.
His body had been sent to Auckland Zoo where vets would investigate the cause of death.
