Conservation Celebrations

Yes, according to a breaking story from the BBC News in Sydney Australia. A team of researchers have captured on camera the once thought to be extinct Black-naped pheasant-pigeon. 

Can an extinct pheasant-pigeon really come back to life or has it been hiding from humans for over 140 years?

Yes, according to a breaking story from the BBC News in Sydney Australia. A team of researchers have captured on camera the once thought to be extinct Black-naped pheasant-pigeon. 

But where did they find it?

A team made up of members from the American Bird Conservancy, the Cornell Lab, and the Papua New Guinea National Museum, along with local Papua New Guineans traveled to a tiny island called Fergusson Island, its off the coast of Papua, New Guinea 

They spent a month fending off bloodthirsty mosquitoes and leeches while hiking over mountain ridges, crossing roaring rivers, and trudging through the tropical forest, all with the hope of finding a bird that has not been seen since 1882. 

Jordan Boersma, co-leader of the expedition admitted that “for most of the trip, it seemed like we had no chance of finding this bird,”

But, can you believe it? After all that sacrifice and thanks to the help of a few locals sharing promising leads that they believed that they had seen a pheasant-pigeon and heard its distinctive calls on a steep mountain ridge.

The research team narrowed down the area, set up their monitoring cameras and with great surprise the Black-naped pheasant-pigeon came walking by. Yes, it is truly alive and healthy.

You can watch the 10 second video on my blog post that goes with this podcast. Just go to ConservationCelebrations.com or CStheCritterSaver.com 

As I’m sure you can imagine, this is a true conservation celebration because this Black-naped pheasant-pigeon had not been sighted since 1882. Yes it’s been off the radar now for over 140 years. Talk about great hiding skills.

One of the expeditions co-leader John Mittermeier stated it felt like "finding a unicorn”.

The Black-naped Pheasant Pigeon is a ground-dwelling bird, a little smaller than a domestic chicken with a bobbing pheasant-like tail. 

Now, very little is known about the species but scientists look forward to getting back to the island to study it some more.

Yet, even after all the excitement of finding this bird alive, its fight for survival continues. 

The principal landowner of the forest where the bird was found told the search team that he’d just signed a deal with a logging company—a move that could destroy the home and habitat of this Black-naped Pheasant Pigeon. 

How truly sad! There must be something we can do?

Like one of the team members, Jordan Boersma said, “The reason I care, why I think we should all care, is that this bird has meant something and continues to mean something to the local people.” “It’s part of their legends and culture—if we lose this species, then its cultural importance will be lost along with the role it plays in this fantastic ecosystem.”

I hope you will care also!

On my blog I’ll share some resource links about the Black-naped pheasant-pigeon and of course the YouTube link so you can see this awesome bird for yourself.

Stay tuned as I invite the research team to come on this podcast to share more about their trip any conservation efforts we can help with.

I’m CS the Critter Saver. I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s episode of Conservation Celebrations. 

Please share this episode with all your animal-loving friends. Go to CStheCritterSaver.com

See you next time.

Until then enjoy your day and KISS a critter you love!

Welcome back to another season of Conservation Celebrations! I'm your host C S Wurzberger, but my friends are now calling me C S the Critter Saver because I am so passionate about inspiring people to care for the earth and its animals.

First let me say, I am so super excited to be back podcasting and sharing conservation success stories from around the World.

In this episode you'll hear the back story of why I needed to take a break from podcasting and an update on what's coming up for our new season.

Also visit: https://www.csthecrittersaver.com to find more fun animal adventures!

CelebratingBramble Park Zoo’s migratory bird rehabilitation program that has been involved in caring for over 800 birds in the last 30 years. Their director Dan Miller shares stories about the many eagles, hawks, owls, and wood ducks they have been a part of saving and shares tips of how you can get involved. www.ConservationCelebrations.com

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery includes a small, AZA accredited Discovery Zoo.  Last summer their Live Animals staff assisted Great Parks of Hamilton County and the Ohio EPA with a salamander rescue after an oil spill from the Mid-Valley Pipeline in the Oak Glen Nature Preserve (March 2014).  The staff assisted with collecting animals from the site and cared for nearly 100 streamside salamanders for months in their quarantine area, until most of them could be released back into the local habitat after cleanup. 

It was determined that two of the streamside salamanders should not be released, and they are still living at the Museum and are used for conservation/local wildlife education purposes.  The partnership also resulted in some additional Earth Day programming with the Ohio EPA, so guests were able to learn more the spill and cleanup, as well as about the animals themselves. www.ConservationCelebrations.com

Dr. Larry Wood has been working with sea turtles in Florida for over 25 years.  His lifelong interest in reptiles brought him from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to Juno Beach Florida, where he undertook nesting beach surveys, helped develop a sea turtle rehabilitation facility, and created numerous public awareness and marine education programs.  

In 2004, he established the Comprehensive Florida Hawksbill Research and Conservation Program, which is the first and only long-term study of hawksbill turtles in Florida.  Dr. Wood has contributed to sea turtle conservation in many ways in Florida and elsewhere through publications, contributions to symposia, and student/volunteer mentorship.  He is currently pursuing his research and public education interests with the National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation and the Audubon Society of America. 

Visit ConservationCelebrations.com to learn more.

Andrew Aiken, President & CEO of the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society share details about their many green initiatives and how they are helping the environment.

The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is home to more than 800 animals on 23 shaded tropical acres, including endangered Malayan tigers, Mexican spider monkeys, jaguars and more! 

Their mission exists to inspire people to act on behalf of wildlife and the natural world. They advance Their conservation mission through endangered species propagation, education and support of conservation initiatives in the field. Their commitment to sustainable business practices elevates their capacity to inspire others. Visit csthecrittersaver.com to listen to more episodes.

Here the story of how Conservation Celebrations was born!