Post by another specialist on May 1, 2008 18:54:25 GMT
The Cozumel Thrasher, one of the rarest birds in the Caribbean, is feared extinct.
Hopes Fade for the Survival of the Cozumel Thrasher
A team of researchers, sponsored by American Bird Conservancy (ABC) has failed to find conclusive evidence of any Cozumel Thrashers on the island of Cozumel, off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, leading to fears that the species may be extinct. Just twenty years ago, the Cozumel Thrasher was common and easily found, but storms and introduced predators, such as cats and boa constrictors, decimated the species. Following Hurricane Gilbert, a Category Five storm that devastated the island in 1988, only one or two sporadic sightings were made.
In 2004, an ABC-sponsored research team located a single bird. Since then, however, two Category Four hurricanes have hit Cozumel and much of the island’s forest cover was demolished, and no sightings have been recorded since. Nevertheless, remnant populations may persist.
The Island also holds two other endemic species and 15 endemic subspecies, including the rare Cozumel Great Curassow and Cozumel Roadside Hawk, which were glimpsed during a 2006 survey.
test2.wildlife-extra.com/go/news/cozumel-thrasher.html
Hopes Fade for the Survival of the Cozumel Thrasher
A team of researchers, sponsored by American Bird Conservancy (ABC) has failed to find conclusive evidence of any Cozumel Thrashers on the island of Cozumel, off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, leading to fears that the species may be extinct. Just twenty years ago, the Cozumel Thrasher was common and easily found, but storms and introduced predators, such as cats and boa constrictors, decimated the species. Following Hurricane Gilbert, a Category Five storm that devastated the island in 1988, only one or two sporadic sightings were made.
In 2004, an ABC-sponsored research team located a single bird. Since then, however, two Category Four hurricanes have hit Cozumel and much of the island’s forest cover was demolished, and no sightings have been recorded since. Nevertheless, remnant populations may persist.
The Island also holds two other endemic species and 15 endemic subspecies, including the rare Cozumel Great Curassow and Cozumel Roadside Hawk, which were glimpsed during a 2006 survey.
test2.wildlife-extra.com/go/news/cozumel-thrasher.html
