Latest news with #AndrewOwen
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Science
- BBC News
Blue-eyed ground dove: Three chicks hatch from one of the world's rarest bird species
Conservationists say there is new hope for one of the world's rarest bird species, after three chicks hatched as part of a breeding are thought to be just 11 adult blue-eyed ground doves in the wild, so experts from the UK, Brazil and the US have teamed up to try and save the species from Bosso, is the technical director of Parque das Aves, the bird sanctuary in Brazil where the new chicks said: "Seeing these chicks is exciting. Each hatching represents a real chance to reverse the fate of this species. It is a joy and also a great responsibility." Experts say the species, which is only found in Brazil, is quite a mysterious more than 70 years there were no confirmed sightings, that is until 2015 when it was to the IUCN Red List the species is critically endangered, its numbers are said to have declined due to habitat loss driven by farming and timber try and help save the species, a team of Brazilian and international bird conservationists - including some from Chester Zoo in the UK - started to incubate a number of eggs that were laid in the wild to create a population in human care. Conservationists say the arrival of the three chicks has boosted the survival odds of the are currently being hand-reared by a team of experts at the sanctuary in Owen, who is the head of birds at Chester Zoo, travelled to Brazil to help with the says "the long term aim is to have a viable insurance population" that can help to reinforce numbers in the is also taking place to maintain habitats in the Cerrado, which is an area of tropical savanna in Brazil, so that the birds in human care can eventually be released and boost the wild population.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Zoo celebrates as 'incredibly rare' chicks hatch
Conservationists from Chester Zoo are celebrating after three "incredibly rare" birds have hatched as part of an international conservation project. The blue-eyed ground doves, which were reared at the Parque das Aves conservation centre in Brazil, are in danger of becoming extinct, the zoo said. Bird experts at the zoo have been working on the project alongside colleagues from the South American Country and the USA. The zoo's head of birds, Andrew Owen, travelled to Brazil to provide technical support for the project, alongside lead keeper for birds, Victoria Kaldis, who helped with the hand-rearing of the chicks. The zoo said just 11 adult members of the species lived in the wild, but they hoped that chicks hatched in human care could help turn the tide. The chicks were hatched after being incubated as part of a joint effort between Chester Zoo, Parque das Aves and SAVE Brasil, with support from Toledo Zoo and Bronx Zoo in the USA. It said this was the most successful hatch since the project began, boosting the survival odds of one of the most endangered birds in the world. In 2015, the blue-eyed ground dove - Columbina cyanopis - was rediscovered after there had been no confirmed sightings for over 70 years. The species, which is only found in Brazil, faces threats in the wild including human-caused fires and climate change. Chester Zoo experts were among a team which carefully selected and incubated a small number of wild-laid eggs, the zoo said. "It's a real privilege for Chester Zoo to be involved in the work to help conserve the blue-eyed ground dove," Mr Owen said. "This unique species is on the brink of extinction and without the dedication and passion of all the conservationists involved, including Chester Zoo's bird staff, this bird may be lost forever." He said the arrival of the chicks built on the successes of 2023 and 2024 and doubled the conservation-breeding insurance population. Mr Owen said that "around-the-clock care and attention are needed to rear these tiny and delicate birds". It was hoped that the doves, once mature, would start to breed in their purpose-built aviaries at Parque das Aves, he added. Paloma Bosso, technical director of Parque das Aves, said it was "a joy and also a great responsibility" to see the three chicks. "Each hatching represents a real chance to reverse the fate of this species," she said. Parque das Aves is now home to six blue-eyed ground doves. The species is critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Zoo receives £4m grant for conservation projects Breeding hope as rare fossa arrives at zoo from US Chester Zoo
BBC News
16 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Chester Zoo celebrates as 'incredibly rare' chicks hatch
Conservationists from Chester Zoo are celebrating after three "incredibly rare" birds have hatched as part of an international conservation blue-eyed ground doves, which were reared at the Parque das Aves conservation centre in Brazil, are in danger of becoming extinct, the zoo experts at the zoo have been working on the project alongside colleagues from the South American Country and the zoo's head of birds, Andrew Owen, travelled to Brazil to provide technical support for the project, alongside lead keeper for birds, Victoria Kaldis, who helped with the hand-rearing of the chicks. The zoo said just 11 adult members of the species lived in the wild, but they hoped that chicks hatched in human care could help turn the chicks were hatched after being incubated as part of a joint effort between Chester Zoo, Parque das Aves and SAVE Brasil, with support from Toledo Zoo and Bronx Zoo in the USA. It said this was the most successful hatch since the project began, boosting the survival odds of one of the most endangered birds in the 2015, the blue-eyed ground dove - Columbina cyanopis - was rediscovered after there had been no confirmed sightings for over 70 species, which is only found in Brazil, faces threats in the wild including human-caused fires and climate change. Chester Zoo experts were among a team which carefully selected and incubated a small number of wild-laid eggs, the zoo said."It's a real privilege for Chester Zoo to be involved in the work to help conserve the blue-eyed ground dove," Mr Owen said."This unique species is on the brink of extinction and without the dedication and passion of all the conservationists involved, including Chester Zoo's bird staff, this bird may be lost forever."He said the arrival of the chicks built on the successes of 2023 and 2024 and doubled the conservation-breeding insurance population. Mr Owen said that "around-the-clock care and attention are needed to rear these tiny and delicate birds". It was hoped that the doves, once mature, would start to breed in their purpose-built aviaries at Parque das Aves, he added. Paloma Bosso, technical director of Parque das Aves, said it was "a joy and also a great responsibility" to see the three chicks."Each hatching represents a real chance to reverse the fate of this species," she said. Parque das Aves is now home to six blue-eyed ground doves. The species is critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
