There’s sad news for the kiwi bird thanks to a recent study

[protected-iframe id=”cc91c8d0df2f6a65301244c16622acda-46934866-88347336″ info=”http://www.bbc.com/news/av/embed/p05hlczs/41446460″ width=”400″ height=”500″ frameborder=”0″]

New Zealanders are working to save the kiwi as scientists fear that the birds may become extinct in 50 years.

Kiwi once reached a population count in the millions, but now the number has dwindled down to around 68,000. The flightless birds, especially their eggs and chicks, are in danger of other predators. Locals have taken it upon themselves to incubate the eggs, care for the young chicks, allow them to grow on an island safe from predators, and release them back into the wild on the mainland.

RELATED: Officials caution consumers to be wary of online puppy mill scams

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classified both the northern brown kiwi and the Okarito kiwi brown kiwi as endangered.

But kiwi aren’t the only animals facing the threat of extinction in the country. Scientists warn that the iconic yellow-eyed penguins, often used to attract tourists, may also disappear in 25 years.

[anvplayer video=”4044812″]