| Karak | |
|---|---|
 Karak depicted on a stamp | |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Red-tailed black cockatoo |
| Gender | Male |
| Nationality | Australian |
Karak was the mascot for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He was modelled on a red-tailed black cockatoo, a threatened species within the host country, Australia. [1]
Karak was initially unveiled by John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia at the time. [2] His backstory states that he came from "Stringy Bark Lane", which was cleared away, causing him grief. He had a grandmother that made seed cakes, a mother that started a family when she was young, two brothers that were shuttlecocks, and a sister that performed well in school. [3] A real red-tailed black cockatoo was named Karak Junior in honor of the mascot. [4] In 2005, the costumed mascot joined with volunteers to count red-tailed black cockatoos in the wild. [5] License plates featuring an image of Karak were sold to raise money for the conservation of red-tailed black cockatoos. [6] In the Athlete's Village at the 2006 Games, a mascot race was held between Karak and the mascots of participating national teams. [7] Plush toys of Karak were also produced and sold. [8]
