5:47
\"At this time 16 birds have been officially diagnosed with aspergillosis so Nora-1-A is highly unlikely to be the last chick we lost to this disease,\" zoo staff wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
Kakapos are characterized by their green feathers, waddling gait and \"distinctive owl-like face,\" according to the New Zealand Department of Conservation. The flightless birds are known as the heaviest parrot species in the world, with males typically weighing just under 5 pounds and females about 3 pounds. They also may be the longest-living bird species in the world, estimated to reach an age of 90 years.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/International/kakapo-parrot-02-stock-gty-jef-190613_hpEmbed_3x2_384.jpg\")
The species has been teetering \"on the edge of extinction\" since the mid-1990s, and faces \"major challenges\" due to infertility and inbreeding, according to the Department of Conservation.
The fungal infection began to spread during the bird's breeding season, according to the zoo.
The care for the kakapos has been so critical that earlier this month, the zoo put a call out to any experienced vets or vet nurses for help.
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