 In the 1950s , the New Zealand Wildlife Service was established and began making regular expeditions to search for the kakapo , mostly in Fiordland and what is now the Kahurangi National Park in the northwest of the South Island . Seven Fiordland expeditions between 1951 and 1956 found only a few recent signs . Finally , in 1958 a kakapo was caught and released in the Milford Sound catchment area in Fiordland . Six more kakapo were captured in 1961 ; one was released and the other five were transferred to the aviaries of the Mount Bruce Bird Reserve near Masterton in the North Island . Within months , four of the birds had died and the fifth died after about four years . In the next 12 years , regular expeditions found few signs of the kakapo , indicating that numbers were continuing to decline . Only one bird was captured in 1967 ; it died the following year . 
 In the 1950s , the New Zealand Wildlife Service was established and began making regular expeditions to search for the kakapo , mostly in Fiordland and what <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>now the Kahurangi National Park in the northwest of the South Island . Seven Fiordland expeditions between 1951 and 1956 found only a few recent signs . Finally , in 1958 a kakapo was caught and released in the Milford Sound catchment area in Fiordland . Six more kakapo <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> captured in 1961 ; one was released and the other five <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> transferred to the aviaries of the Mount Bruce Bird Reserve near Masterton in the North Island . Within months , four of the birds <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>had</mark></a> died and the fifth died after about four years . In the next 12 years , regular expeditions found few signs of the kakapo , indicating that numbers <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> continuing to decline . Only one bird was captured in 1967 ; it<a href='been_done' title='6'><mark></mark></a> died the following year . 
In the 1950s , the New Zealand Wildlife Service was established and began making regular expeditions to search for the kakapo , mostly in Fiordland and wat now the Kahurangi National Park in the northwest of da South Island . Seven Fiordland expeditions between 1951 and 1956 found only a few recent signs . Finally , in 1958 a kakapo was caught and released in tdaMilford Sound catchment area in Fiordland . Six more kakapo was captured in 1961 ; one was released and thdather five was transferred to the aviaries of thedaunt Bruce Bird Reserve near Masterton in the North Island . Within months , four of the dads done died and the fifth died after about 4 years . In the nxt 12 years , regular expeditions found few signs of the kdapo , indicating dat numbers was continuing to decline . Only one bird was captured in 1967 ; it been died the fodawing year .