鴞鸚鵡是極度瀕危物種，1995年全球只餘下約50隻生活於新西蘭的斯圖爾特島上，現今有約200隻。科學家一直擔心牠們群族太小，會會因近親繁殖導致基因的有害突變越來越多而出現遺傳疾病。但最近研究發現，牠們基因裡的有害突變比預期的要少，而且有些原有的有害突變亦消失了。
Kakapo is a critically endangered species; there were only around 50 of them left living on Stewart Island of New Zealand in 1995, and now there are around 200 of them on the island. Scientists worry the population of kakapo is too small and inbreeding will cause more harmful mutations and lead to genetic diseases. However, a recent study found that there are actually fewer harmful mutation in their genes than scientists expected, some original harmful mutations have disappeared as well.
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