There are only 204 kākāpō parrots alive today.
Detailed, quantitative monitoring of the intra- and inter-specific diversity of critically endangered species such as the kākāpō is crucial in the fight to improve biodiversity.
Lara Urban (University of Otago, New Zealand) using real-time target enrichment via adaptive sampling and long nanopore reads enabled phasing of variants in the kākāpō genome, enabling identification to the individual level, from environmental DNA.
Using this sensitive and non-invasive monitoring technique, The Kākāpō Recovery Team are implementing nanopore sequencing in their crucial efforts to conserve this elusive species.