Endangered Inktober - Tahiti Monarch by CiamethDay 19 - Tahiti Monarch, Pomarea nigraIUCN Status:
Endangered Inktober - Tahiti Monarch by Ciameth Day 19 - Tahiti Monarch, Pomarea nigraIUCN Status: Critically endangeredThe Tahiti Monarch is a monarch flycatcher species found only on the island of Tahiti. Adults are solid glossy black, while juveniles are pale rufous orange. The species declined to precipitously low numbers due to invasive Miconia calvescens, a plant native to Mexico and brought to the Society Islands by humans, taking over dense native forest habitat. Invasive species like cats, rats, Little Fire Ants, Red-vented Bulbul, and Common Mynah predate the Tahiti Monarch and its offspring. In the late 1990s, there were only 27 Tahiti Monarchs left in the world.Fortunately, conservation organizations like BirdLife International and Island Conservation were able to raise funds from private donors to support invasive species eradication programs, and as of 2017 there are 70 mature Tahiti Monarchs. This bird is still critically endangered, but the population growth is a promising sign for recovery. Continued funding for invasive species eradication programs will help the Tahiti Monarch come back from the brink of extinction. -- source link
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