SLENDER-BILLED CURLEW

TAG: GS-3: BIODIVERSITY & ENVIRONMENT

CONTEXT:  On November 18, 2024, scientists announced that the Slender-billed Curlew, a migratory shorebird that once bred in western Siberia and wintered around the Mediterranean, could have become extinct.

EXPLANATION:

About the Slender-billed Curlew:

• • The slender-billed curlew is an extinct species of curlew found in Eurasia and North Africa.
  • Its scientific name is Numenius tenuirostris.
  • The slender-billed curlew, a migratory seabird that once bred in western Siberia and spent the winters around the Mediterranean, particularly the Merja Zarga of Morocco.
  • It is now extinct, according to scientists. It is the first known global bird extinction from mainland Europe, North Africa and West Asia.
  • IUCN status: Presumed extinct; previously listed as critically endangered.
  • Last confirmed sighting: 1995 in northern Morocco.

 Causes of Extinction:

• • Habitat Loss:
    • Drainage of raised bog breeding grounds for agriculture.
    • Lots of coastal wetlands are used for winter feeding.
  • Hunting: Overhunting of an already declining population.
  • Other Factors (less documented):
    • Pollution, disease, and predation.
    • Impacts of climate change.

Current Conservation:

• • Migratory Shorebirds at Risk:
    • 16 migratory shorebird species recently uplisted to higher threat categories on the IUCN Red List due to population declines.
  • IUCN Red List Data:
    • 164 bird species recognized as extinct since 1500 out of 11,000+ assessed.

Way Forward:

• • Scientific Challenges: Despite extensive searches over hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, no breeding populations were found.
  • Call for Action:
    • Address climate change impacts.
    • Combat habitat destruction and pollution to safeguard bird species globally.
  • Role of Conservation Organizations:
    • Research by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Birdlife International, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, and Natural History Museum highlights the need for urgent international cooperation in bird conservation.

Source:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/the-slender-billed-curlew-a-shorebird-occurring-from-western-siberia-to-the-mediterranean-is-now-extinct-scientists