
The Perth Museum in Scotland and London's British Museum just restored what is believed to be the only surviving complete example of a kahu kākāpō, a traditional Māori cloak made from the feathers of a flightless parrot native to New Zealand. Kākāpō became critically endangered as settlers hunted the birds for their meat and introduced predators like cats, dogs, and stoats to the islands. The cloak was likely created from the parrots' feathers in the early 19th century and worn by individuals of high status for ceremonial purposes. It was donated to what is now the Perth Museum in 1842, and now restorers have spent more than 100 hours using scalpels and magnifying glasses to return the kahu kākāpō to its former glory.
