Conservation Efforts Boost Survival Odds of Critically Endangered Blue-Eyed Ground Dove

Strategic Insights -

Chester Zoo's blue-eyed ground dove chick rearing program has achieved a major milestone with the successful hand-rearing of three birds, increasing the chances of survival for one of the world's most threatened species. The blue-eyed ground dove, found only in Brazil, has faced numerous threats, including habitat loss and human-caused fires, and was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 2015. With only 11 adult birds known to survive in the wild, conservationists have worked tirelessly to create an insurance population through breeding programs.

Key Takeaways:

  • The successful hand-rearing of three blue-eyed ground dove chicks at Chester Zoo has doubled the conservation-breeding insurance population, bringing it to six birds.
  • The chicks were incubated as part of a joint effort between Chester Zoo, Parque das Aves, and SAVE Brasil BirdLife International in Brazil, with support from Toledo Zoo and Bronx Zoo in the United States.
  • The chicks will be gradually integrated with the existing population at Parque das Aves, with a focus on forming breeding pairs and maintaining genetic diversity.
  • Conservationists are working to maintain Cerrado tropical savanna habitats to eventually release the birds, boosting the wild population.
  • The blue-eyed ground dove is critically endangered according to the IUCN Red List, with a 2025 census confirming the species remains vanishingly rare.
  • Genetic analysis is being used to guide breeding decisions, and the management of the species is guided by scientific data generated by partner institutions.
  • The arrival of these three new individuals brings the total number of blue-eyed ground doves at Parque das Aves to six, with all being carefully monitored and part of a coordinated reproductive management plan.

Statistics:

  • 11: The number of adult blue-eyed ground doves known to survive in the wild.
  • Six: The number of blue-eyed ground doves being cared for at Parque das Aves, with the arrival of the three new chicks.
  • 70 years: The length of time since the blue-eyed ground dove was last confirmed to exist, until its rediscovery in 2015.
  • 2025: The year in which a census confirmed the species remains vanishingly rare.
  • 3: The number of blue-eyed ground dove chicks successfully hand-reared at Chester Zoo.

Sources:

  • Andrew Owen, Chester Zoo's Head of Birds
  • Victoria Kaldis, Lead Keeper for Birds at Chester Zoo
  • Paloma Bosso, technical director of Parque das Aves
  • Ben Phalan, head of conservation at Parque das Aves
  • SAVE Brasil
  • Chester Zoo
  • Parque das Aves
  • BirdLife International
  • IUCN Red List
  • University of São Paulo
  • Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Evolution of Birds (LGEMA)
  • Toledo Zoo
  • Bronx Zoo