Kokako populations persist in a handful of locations on New Zealand's North Island. This map illustrates the locations of current populations with the approximate number of pairs in brackets. New sites are being developed through reintroductions; these sites have been chosen for their biodiversity values so that kokako will be managed together with a diversity of other valued endemic species and habitats. It is hoped to extend management to all sites shown, to preserve the widest possible genetic diversity within the kokako.

For 2005/2006 updates on populations around the North Island, click here.

In 1999 the Kokako Recovery Group set a management goal of 1000 breeding pairs by 2020. Numbers have been rising steadily towards that goal since 1999 and in 2005 the total kokako population reached approximately 1379 adult birds including 615 pairs.