DIY Kakapo kit - make your own version of this critically endangered bird

'Journey - The Kakapo of Christchurch' was my recent two week Guerrilla Kindness public art project for Christchurch, utilising the Kakapo’s journey to recovery as a metaphor for Christchurch’s journey to rebuild.

The Kakapo is the world’s heaviest, flightless parrot. It’s native to New Zealand and it’s currently critically endangered. In the 70s the Kakapo was almost wiped out - only 18 remained. Since then, the Kakapo has been on its own journey of healing thanks to a conservation group called Kakapo Recovery. Even though the Kakapo is still endangered, there are now there are 124 birds alive and well in the wild. Each one has a name - like Sirocco, the Kakapo Recovery program ambassador and official New Zealand Spokesbird for conservation.

I created 124 kakapo to leave around the streets of Christchurch for the people to find and move, hide, remove, adopt or throw away. As part of this work I also ran drop in craft workshops where people could make their own felt kakapo to keep or to install on the streets for themselves as a gift for others at Gap Filler's Pallet Pavilion.

This listing is for a DIY Kakapo kit, which comes with everything you need to make your own felt kakapo. It includes felt, embroidery floss, a needle, ribbon and tag and a booklet with pattern, simple step by step photographic instructions as well as some information about the project, the Kakapo Recovery project and Gap Filler.

This kit can be made by anyone young or old!