New Zealand: Colony of world's rarest shore birds vanishes mysteriously

In a bizarre and unfortunate incident, an entire flock of endangered birds have mysteriously vanished from their previously allocated predator-free island. The shore plover or tūturuatu is an extremely rare plover and only 250 are known to be alive in the wild. Conservationists have been attempting to reintroduce them to New Zealand’s mainland after the entire species was almost wiped out in 1880 by non-native rats and cats.

Cause for disappearance unknown

According to reports, shore plovers are best known for their gentle attitude and friendly nature, coupled with the fact that they make their nests on the ground which makes them very easy prey. For the majority of the past 100 years, the shore plovers have survived on the Chatham island. During conservationists' last attempt to introduce a colony to a new island, half the colony was decimated by a single rat while the rest of the colony soon died of unknown causes.

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After the devastating consequences of the attempt in 2007, conservationists have not made other attempts to introduce another colony, until April and May this year. Twenty-nine young birds that would form the new colony were introduced but the entire colony seems to have vanished from the island. The conservationists believe that the birds may have fallen victims to an avian predator or might have decided to fly to the mainland.

Reports have indicated that the team of conservationists are tracking three survivors from the colony near Christchurch and are attempting to rescue them. If the three survivors are captured safe and sound, they will be returned to Mana island wherein they will be kept in an aviary for a month so that they may grow accustomed to the island.

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Read: New Zealand's Rare Species Of Wading Kaki Bird Sees 30 Percent Uptick In Population

Increase in Wading Kiki population

In a bit of good news coming out of New Zealand, one of the rarest species of wading bird -- the kaki or black stilt, has seen an encouraging 30 per cent rise in its population. The country has been trying for decades to prevent the extinction of the kaki bird and as per reports, now there are as many 169 birds of endangered species in the country.

(Image Credit Twitter/@PloverShore)