#extinct in the wild

[sixth-extinction]

Multiple attempts to reintroduce captive-born ‘alalā to Hawaii’s Big Island have been unsuccessful, in large part because of the ‘io, or Hawaiian hawk, the ‘alalā’s last surviving natural predator. But now new hope is taking wing: a fresh class of five young ‘alalā has been released into the wild on the slopes of the Haleakalā volcano on the island of Maui, where ‘io are absent.

[extinctionstories]

Two hundred years ago, the wetlands of Japan rustled with pink-tinged feathers. Tall, pale birds stepped carefully through reeds and iris, hunting small fish, crabs, and frogs. 

Nipponia nippon, it would be dubbed by the national ornithological society, a bird emblematic of its country. The Crested Ibis. The Toki. The Peach Flower Bird.

Marshes slowly changed to rice fields, with farmers who resented the toki for ruining crops; to kill the birds was outlawed, so children chased them from the fields, singing warnings.

The doors of the country were pried open. Laws changed. Farmers bought their first guns, their sights set on birds who were no longer protected. The toki, the red-crowned crane, and many others began to suffer. But the worst was yet to come.

Pesticides are indiscriminate killers. The poison sprayed to kill a beetle can travel up the foodchain, toppling a cascade of larger animals, or affecting their ability to reproduce. It was reckless pesticide use that nearly wiped out the Bald Eagle. In the rice fields, the peach-flower-bird had little chance. 

In 1981, Japan’s last five living toki were removed from a wild that had become too dangerous for them.

I tell a lot of sad stories here, about mistakes we’ve made and animals we’ve lost. This isn’t one of those. This is a story about one of those precious times when we were able to fix the things we’d broken. 

A joint effort between Japan & China, and the discovery of seven more birds in that country, led to a successful breeding program, which in 2008 saw the first ibises fly free again in Japan. Today, at least 5000 toki exist in the world.

The last wild-born toki, one of those captured in 1981, lived almost long enough to see her species’ return. Reaching the equivalent age of a centenarian human, she died in 2003—not of old age, but injury after throwing herself against her cage door. 

Her name was ‘Kin’. ‘Gold’. 

Mended things can never be as whole as they once were. There will always be cracks that show, weak spots that remain vulnerable. Yet, like the shining seams of a kintsugi piece, these scars speak an important truth: here is a thing that someone chose to save; handle with care.

The title of this painting is ‘Restoration’. It is gouache on 22x30 inch watercolor paper, and is part of my series 'Conservation Pieces', exploring the effort to preserve endangered birds.

[saritawolf]

Père David's Deer (Elaphurus davidianus) - (c) SaritaWolf - please do not repost

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

I know barely anyone has seen this bird irl since it’s been extinct in the wild since 2002, but have you done the ‘Alalā ( hawaiian crow ) ? They are currently the most endangered corvid species ( about 120 individuals as of january 2024 ), I would die for them and I want everyone to know about them

Absolutely!!!

Photos thanks to the San Diego Zoo!

[boldlyzooing]

Socorro dove

Burgers' Zoo, Arnhem

[museaumofnaturalhistory]

A Complex Sound is Drifting Through the Hawaiian Forests – for the First Time in Years - by Graeme Green | Discover Wildlife Magazine - Animal Facts - Birds | 4th/12/2024

Five ‘Alalā, or Hawaiian Crows, Have Been Released onto the Island of Maui, Part of a Greater Effort to Return the Native Birds to Their Forest Homes.

[ratmakesgames]

Hey, thanks for stopping by!

I'm a solo developer currently working on a nature reserve/wildlife sanctuary sim: Second Growth (working name).

Your planet tiptoes closer to total ecological collapse; the land is dry and life is as hard as it is scarce. The ruins of your species' once thriving civilization sit rotting, abandoned by the few who remain. The world is dying, and you with it. Which means it's a great time to start a park! Replant forests, dig rivers, collect and care for animals, and more! Recruit help from local settlers (and a little, or a lot, of extraterrestrial help), or go it alone. It'll be up to you if you want to fully re-wild, create a cozy haven, or create a factory farm using wildlife for parts - but play your cards right, and you might just start to turn things around for your dying planet.

The game is still suuuper early in development, but feedback is always valued! While we're definitely not there yet, I'll hopefully be using this page to look for early playtesters in the future, so stick around if you're interested in that!

And!! Thank you for checking out my silly little game!!!

[roukabi]

it's for real this time you guys trust me it's really gonna happen

[taimira]

The cub lived for only a few weeks, and yet it never knew how important it will become in the far future. Thank you, little cat, for giving us another glimpse of your beautiful species that once roamed the Earth.

Inspired by a relatively recent discovery of a homotherium cub mummy. The first snow has fallen in my town, so I've also got a little mood from that.

[doomsayersunited]

[extinctionstories]

On June 11th, 2022, after having previously been declared extinct in the wild, the first batch of captive-bred Spix's Macaws were released in Brazil's Caatinga dry forest. A year later, the birds are doing well, with additional introductions planned for the future. Though complete success is still many years away, dependent upon the population becoming firmly established and self-sufficient, it's hard not to feel a thrill at the sight of azure parrots flying again across an open sky.

I did this pastel drawing last year in honor of the Spix's Macaw's return to the wild. You can follow the Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots to keep track of the reintroduction effort.

[saritawolf]

Père David's Deer (Elaphurus davidianus) - (c) SaritaWolf - please do not repost

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

In celebration of their recent release back into the wild for the first time in many decades, may I suggest: the Guam Sihek!

Oh wow, I hadn't heard about that, that's spectacular! I couldn't find info on them having been released out of their transitional aviaries on Palmyra Atoll (as of 9/6/2024, when I am queuing up this post), but the fact that they've arrived there is huge. If they have been released and I missed it, I'd love if someone linked me to it!! I'm excited now :)

[thesilicontribesman]

Ancient Auroch Skull, Bos primigenius, Perth Museum, Scotland

Aurochs are the wild ancestor of domestic cattle. Destruction of forests and hunting over thousands of years led to their extinction. The species survived in Britain until the Bronze Age.

This skull was found at Chapleton Moss, east of Forfar, Angus in 1790.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

We can't change the past, but we can work in the present to make a better future. In this case, dedicated conservationists are working to bring the takahē, a rare bird endemic to Aotearoa (New Zealand), back from the brink of extinction.

Like so many other island birds around the world, the takahē's numbers plummeted due to overhunting, habitat destruction, and the introduction of invasive species like rats and domestic cats. The lattermost have been especially detrimental to reintroduction efforts due to predation on takahē and their eggs. Removal of these non-native species from the birds' habitat allows them to have a much better chance of success.

There are now 500 takahē; most are still in captivity, but reintroduction efforts mean these colorful birds are now back in the wild in small numbers. This is a boon not only for the takahē but for the Ngāi Tahu tribe of Māori, who have lived alongside this species since their arrival centuries ago.

Takahē are not out of the proverbial woods yet. Numbers in the wild are hardly sustainable, and invasive animals still threaten their survival. But their return to their native habitat is an important step forward in undoing the colonial damage to island ecosystems on Aotearoa.

[ebony-pupcat]

I hate collars, I hate soft chew toys, I hate head pats. I’m a wild animal. I smash bones in between my teeth and flesh catches in between my claws. I reject humanity, I reject domestication. Don’t lay your fucking hands on me or I’ll rip you apart. I am not a big dog. I am a wolf.