<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/02/new-caledonia-cagou-bird-conservation>
"In the early hours of the morning, a powerful cry echoes through the
rainforest in Farino, in southern New Caledonia. What sounds like a dog barking
is actually the song of the cagou. The shy bird, with grey plumage and a
distinctive crest, is difficult to see through the trees.
The striking bird is an important cultural symbol in the French Pacific
territory, decorating postage stamps and banknotes. When it feels under attack,
the cagou stands up straight and its crest shoots in the air as it approaches
an opponent and growls. Yet the cagou, which is endemic to New Caledonia, faces
a series of threats to its survival.
The bird is considered endangered and experts estimate there are about 2,000 in
New Caledonia. Scientist Jörn Theuerkauf, who studies the birds in Farino, says
a “massacre” by predators in 2017 killed about three-quarters of the population
in the area. A similar incident three years later further hurt its numbers.
Cagous can’t fly and don’t run quickly, so they are easy prey for stray dogs,
cats and wild pigs, which trample the nests, roughly built on the ground.
But efforts to preserve and grow the population are paying off. A series of
steps to protect the birds – including managing threats and tracking behaviour
– have seen their numbers swell.
“The population [in Farino] has probably tripled since 2017. We are therefore
soon at the maximum number of birds possible in the park,” Theuerkauf says."
Via
Fix the News:
https://fixthenews.com/light-into-lightning/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
