Scientists confirm
sighting of one of the world’s rarest birds
Conservationists
from Bristol Zoological Society have confirmed a sighting of one of the rarest
and most endangered birds in the world.
A team from Bristol
Zoological Society travelled to Panay Island in the Philippines in search of
the elusive Negros bleeding heart dove and, after five days of trekking for
eight hours each day, they managed to film the bird deep in the heart of the
forest.
The species is so
rare that it has only been filmed in the wild a handful of times. This is the
first time it has been seen and filmed in recent years.
It is feared there
are now less than 300 pairs of Negros bleeding heart doves left in the wild,
named for the bright, blood-red plumage on their white breasts.
The Zoo’s
Philippines conservation project is co-led by Dr Daphne Kerhoas, a lecturer in
conservation science at Bristol Zoo. Dr Kerhoas filmed the bird and described
it as a ‘career highlight’.
She said: “Not only
are there very few of these birds left in existence, but they are also very
shy, meaning they are rarely seen. We have spent many years searching for this
bird but have never before seen one outside of captivity. To finally have seen and
videoed one first-hand is fantastic.”
The bird was spotted
in the North West Panay Peninsula national park, where Bristol Zoological
Society is now establishing a new research station to continue monitoring and
studying the species.
This will allow
experts to carry out in-depth studies of endangered animals living in remote
and previously inaccessible areas of the forest.
Dr Kerhoas added:
“With so little information existing about these birds in the wild, this
sighting gives us greater hope than ever before that there is a population
worth protecting and that our efforts will be channelled in the right place at
the right time. We are feeling extremely optimistic for the future of the
conservation project of this striking bird.”
Negros bleeding
heart doves are classified as a Critically Endangered species on the IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species.
Bristol Zoological
Society has been working in the Philippines since 2000 and has now started an
island-wide survey of mammals and birds on the islands of Negros and Panay.
This new research
effort will allow conservationists to build a much better picture of the
richness of the biodiversity of the forest. It also means Zoo conservationists
will be able to devote more time and resources to studying other endangered
animals in the forests, such as Visayan warty pigs, ufous-headed hornbills,
Visayan tarictic hornbills and Philippine spotted deer.
The presence of
researchers will also discourage illegal hunting in the area as well as
generating additional income for local people.
Bristol Zoological
Society will also support future conservation work being carried out by its
partner organisation in the Philippines, Panaycon.
The Philippines is
home to more than 20,000 endemic species of plants and animals. However, 95 per
cent of the country’s forests have already been cut down, mainly to grow crops.
The Society is working to protect a host of endangered species and the habitats
they live in and carries out vital research into the animals that live there.
Bristol Zoological
Society’s conservation project in the Philippines is sponsored by Airbus.
The Society is a
conservation and education charity and relies on the generous support of the
public not only to fund its important work in the Zoo, but also its vital
conservation and research projects spanning five continents.
For more information
about Bristol Zoological Society’s work in the Philippines, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/save-wildlife/conservation-and-research/philippines.
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant        |
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