I'm delighted to tell you that the Kakapo Encounter with Sirocco is back for 2009, with nightly departures to Ulva Island running September 26 to October 26.

Wildlife Extra has more news on this event, and there's an early bird special if you book your tickets by 30th June ($85 per adult, $45 per child).

Today, there are just 125 kakapo alive, though this is a major achievement for a bird that was down to just 51 in 1995. Once prevalent throughout New Zealand, kakapo now reside on the predator-free Codfish Island under the care of the Kakapo Recovery Programme. Typically only scientists involved in the programme have had the opportunity to behold this rare and mysterious bird. That changed three years ago with the inception of Kakapo Encounter. In the Spring of 2006, the Ulva Island Charitable Trust hosted Kakapo Encounter on the predator-free bird sanctuary Ulva Island and invited the public to come observe a kakapo.

Here's the location of Ulva Island. The full Google Maps and Google Earth versions links to this location are available below.