AssetID: 54854599
Headline: It Must Be Dove! Chicks Hatched At Chester Zoo Boost Survival Odds Of World's Most Endangered Birds
Caption: Staff at Chester Zoo are celebrating after hatching three chicks that have boosted the survival odds of one of the world's most endangered birds. Conservationists have announced the successful hand-rearing of a trio of blue-eyed ground doves (Columbina cyanopis). The blue-eyed ground dove was a species shrouded in mystery, with no confirmed records for more than 70 years, until its rediscovery in 2015. Just 11 adult birds are known to survive in the wild, where they face many threats, including human-caused fires and climate change. So, earlier this year, a team of Brazilian and international bird conservationists, including experts from Chester Zoo were tasked with carefully selecting and incubating a small number of wild-laid eggs, with the resulting hatchlings helping to create an insurance population in human care. The chicks were hatched after being incubated as part of a joint effort led by Chester Zoo and Parque das Aves and SAVE Brasil (BirdLife International in Brazil). Paloma Bosso, technical director of Parque das Aves, 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.”
Keywords: Natural World,Chester Zoo,blue-eyed ground dove,conservation,endangered species,hand-rearing,Brazil,IUCN Red List,Parque das Aves,SAVE Brasil,breeding program,genetics,habitat loss,Cerrado biome,wild population,reproductive management,genetic diversity,species protection,international collaboration,bird conservation,aviary breeding,wildlife conservation,endangered birds,zoo breeding programs,global conservation efforts,biodiversity,sustainable habitats,conservation research,animal care,species recovery,habitat restoration,conservation partnerships
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