LOST
MANAKIN DISCOVERED IN BRAZIL
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Golden-crowned
Manakin © Fabio Olmos
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OTTAWA
(May, 29 2002) – A bird which had been thought
to be possibly extinct has been rediscovered by
Brazilian scientists in the Amazon rainforest.
The
Golden-crowned Manakin has been found by bird researchers
forty-five years after it was last seen and first
discovered. However, the finders fear that its survival
could be threatened by continued destruction of
the rainforest for timber extraction, creation of
pasture and road development.
Found again in the Pará region of Brazil,
the bird is considered to be one of the most enigmatic
species of South American bird-life. It was first
discovered by German scientist Helmut Sick in 1957,
and officially recognized as a species in 1959.
Several unsuccessful attempts have since been made
to find the bird.
Fábio
Olmos who, together with José Fernando Pacheco,
re-discovered the species said: "We were thrilled
to find the lost manakin — quite distinctive
from other manakins." He added: "The local
economy is based on logging and cattle-ranching
on cleared land. The Brazilian government is encouraging
colonization but has no way of controlling loggers,
squatters, colonists and gold miners once access
is created. Forest destruction will remain a major
threat to the long-term survival of this beautiful
bird and other wildlife of the area."
Alison Stattersfield who leads on BirdLife's Globally
threatened species monitoring said: "This is
tremendous news — this bird hasn't been recorded
for 45 years - but there are genuine concerns that
its habitat is under threat from the continued destruction
of the fantastic Amazonian rainforest. It is vital
that this wonderful natural resource is saved from
further destruction and that the Brazilian environmental
authorities implement an effective system of protected
areas for the region's biodiversity."
Mara
Kerry, who leads the Canadian Nature Federation’s
efforts to support bird conservation in Latin America,
noted “Brazil has an important responsibility
in conserving the world’s birds. There are
114 threatened bird species in Brazil, more than
any other country in the world”. The Americas
is home to some of the world’s richest sites
for biodiversity. However, at least 320 bird species
are threatened with extinction, almost a third of
all globally threatened species.
NOTES:
The Golden-crowned Manakin is one of the least known
birds in the world — five specimens were found
in 1957 and only one since. The species is on the
IUCN Red List of threatened animals (status Vulnerable)
The
manakin was found whilst making surveys along the
Cuiabá-Santarém Road which is planned
to be paved as part of the Avança Brasil
Development Programme to ease transport access for
the logging industry. This area is located between
the Tapajós and Xingu rivers. There are no
protected areas for habitat conservation in this
region of Brazil. Existing National Forests and
Indian Reserves do not guarantee the integrity of
the ecosystem, as timber exploitation along with
other potentially destructive activities are allowed.
BirdLife
International is a global alliance of conservation
organizations working in more than 100 countries
who, together, are the leading authority on the
status of birds, their habitats and the issues and
problems affecting bird life. The Canadian Nature
Federation and Bird Studies Canada are the Canadian
Co-Partners for BirdLife International.
The
first priority for the BirdLife International's
new work in Brazil which started in March 2000 was
to implement site conservation projects at two Atlantic
forest sites in the north-east of the country. The
BirdLife Brazil Programme is also working to establish
a network of conservationists, including Fábio
Olmos and José Fernando Pacheco who re-discovered
the manakin.
BirdLife
International monitors the state of the world's
birds and is the official source for birds for the
IUCN Red ListPhoto of Golden-crowned Manakin
More
background information on Golden-crowned Manakin
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