Scientists scale trees in desperate attempt to save orange-bellied parrot

Critically endangered bird - down to just 14 in the wild - not helped by being 'morons' with poor survival instincts

Scientists are scaling trees in Tasmania in an attempt to save the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot after the wild population dropped to the "stupidly low numbers" of just 14 individuals.

Three of those wild-born birds are females that have begun the process of selecting nest boxes in Melaleuca, a blustery outpost in the wilderness world heritage area near the southwest tip of Tasmania.