After being extinct in the wild for nearly 40 years, a group of Guam kingfishers have arrived in the Pacific Ocean, where they will play an important role in returning their species to the wild, thanks to the efforts of the Sihek Recovery Program.
The Guam kingfisher, also known as the ‘sihek’ to the indigenous CHamoru people, once flourished on Guam, until their populations were decimated after the introduction of the invasive brown tree snake in the 1940s, which also affected other native bird populations.
The birds were first listed under the Guam Endangered Species Act of 1982, and then added to the US Endangered Species List in 1984. It was declared extinct in the wild after the last wild sighting in 1988.
However, less than 30 birds were rescued and taken into human care in the 1980s, in a rescue operation carried out by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and Guam Department of Agriculture (DOAG), as mentioned by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). While the Guam kingfisher has survived in 25 zoos and aviaries since then, they tend to breed unenthusiastically in captivity and need to live in the wild to flourish.
Nine Guam kingfishers, including three that were hatched at Pittsburgh’s National Aviary safely arrived on Wednesday at The Nature Conservancy’s preserve on Palmyra Atoll, located 1,000 miles south of Hawaii. As reported on by CBS News, three “beacons of hope” were transported from Pittsburgh to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas, which will be their final stop before they are transferred to Palmyra Atoll.
“This project demonstrates that our nearly 25-year investment in conservation and scientific research at Palmyra Atoll is providing a significant return for individual species like the sihek, and for biodiversity more broadly”, said Ulalia Woodside Lee, the Executive Director at The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i and Palmyra, in an interview with The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
The birds will be spending a few weeks in temporary aviaries built near their new forest environments, before being released to Palmyra Atoll. The goal of this is that the birds will establish a breeding population, before ultimately returning to Guam sometime after the invasive brown tree snake population is under control.
“Palmyra Atoll is an ideal location for rewilding these magnificent birds”, said Alex Wegmann, TNC’s Lead Scientist for Island Resilience, in an interview with TNC. “It is one of the healthiest land and ocean ecosystems on the planet, is free of invasive predators like rats, is carefully studied and monitored, and is fully protected as a national wildlife refuge and TNC preserve.”.
Wegmann also mentioned that “Extensive research shows Palmyra’s forests are ideal for the sihek and that introducing it will have minimal effects on native wildlife there”.
“This milestone is great proof of what we can achieve with a shared commitment, tenacity and creativity. AZA zoos have dedicated resources and expertise to maintain the sihek population for the last 40 years.”, Scott Newland, President and CEO of Sedgwick County Zoo and the AZA species coordinator for the Guam kingfisher, said in a statement released by the ZSL. “Without the efforts of AZA and the hundreds of animal care specialists whose dedication to sihek has been steadfast, this upcoming release would have not been possible.”.
In an interview with CBS News, Yolonda Topasna, the Guam Department of Agriculture Program Coordinator and a member of Guam’s CHamoru community, said “As our beloved sihek – Guam’s kingfisher – journey to Palmyra Atoll, I feel their resilience reflecting our own,”.
“But their true home is Guam, just as it is ours. We must bring them back to Guam, for their return is vital to restoring our island’s balance and thriving together.”, Topasna continued. “We, the CHamoru of Guahan, have survived threats and invasions, holding fast to our language, songs, and spirit. Our small island has endured, and like the sihek, we long for the return of all that belongs to Guahan to make us whole again.” “
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