Called the ‘ghost of the forest’ the Kagu is an almost flightless bird found only in the dense mountain forests of New Caledonia.

Historically, the key reasons for the Kagu’s decline is the deforestation of the native forest cleared for timber and to make way for agriculture, killing by humans for food, and the capturing of the Kagu to keep as pets.

However today, dogs, cats and other animals are considered the biggest threat to the Kagu’s survival.

The Kagu is listed as an endangered species under CITES and is fully protected in New Caledonia. It receives a great deal of conservation efforts from the New Caledonia government and conservation organizations.

If these conservation efforts are not successful, then the Kagu will truly become the ‘ghost of the forest’.