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On the brink of extinction but saved in the nick of time

A wild cat species endemic to the Iberian peninsula in Europe, the Iberian lynx, is critically endangered
Last Updated 08 April 2021, 04:45 IST

Here are 10 animals and birds that have been saved from the brink of extinction, thanks to successful conservation projects.

Spix’s macaw

The iconic blue macaw featured in the movie Rio is now extinct in the wild. Many captive breeding programmes are now trying to breed these Brazilian birds to reintroduce them in the wild when the numbers are stable.

Pygmy hog

They are the world’s smallest pigs and are native to the sal forests of the Himalayas. Once almost extinct in the wild, there are now small populations in the Manas National Park in Assam, thanks to the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme’s efforts.

Hawaiian crow

Who thought that the ubiquitous crows would one day go extinct in the wild? In the last few decades, the Hawaiian crows have faced this fate. They are now being bred in captivity, and efforts are underway to reintroduce them into the Hawaiian archipelago.

Great Indian bustard

Native to the Indian subcontinent, these big birds are critically endangered due to hunting and loss of habitats. The “Project Great Indian Bustard" succeeded in creating some safe breeding grounds for these birds to help them recover.

Cat Ba langur

One of the rarest primates in the world, these Vietnamese langurs are now critically endangered. The Vietnamese government’s efforts in protecting their habitats have now started to yield fruits as the langur numbers are slowly stabilising.

Orange-bellied parrots

Native to Australia, these small parrots are critically endangered and are now being revived through captive breeding.

Iberian lynx

A wild cat species endemic to the Iberian peninsula in Europe, the Iberian lynx, is critically endangered. In the last three decades, conservation programmes have focused on breeding these cats in captivity and then reintroducing them in the wild.

Vaquita

This critically-endangered porpoise species is endemic to the northern parts of the Gulf of California. It is the most endangered marine mammal globally, now saved by regulating fishing practices in its habitat.

Bali Myna

Native to Bali, these critically-endangered white-coloured birds rest their hope on captive breeding done by individuals and organizations in Indonesia.

Scimitar oryx

Once widespread in North Africa, the Sahara oryx or scimitar oryx went extinct in the wild two decades ago. With captive breeding programs across North Africa and the UK, some individuals are now released into protected areas.

(Source: The Society for Conservation Biology)

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(Published 07 April 2021, 03:44 IST)

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