Home / Environment / Flightless Bird's Triumphant Return Against All Odds
Flightless Bird's Triumphant Return Against All Odds
23 Oct
Summary
- Flightless Aldabra rail successfully reintroduced to Picard Island.
- Cats removed as predators to ensure bird survival and breeding.
- Population surged from 18 birds to nearly 3,000 within 13 years.
The Aldabra rail, the last surviving flightless bird in the Indian Ocean, has experienced a significant population recovery on Picard Island, Seychelles. This species had previously vanished from two islands of Aldabra Atoll due to the introduction of feral cats by early settlers.
In 1999, a conservation initiative began with the reintroduction of 18 Aldabra rails to Picard Island after its cat population was eradicated. The birds, sourced from Malabar Island, underwent a six-to-14-day soft release process, gradually acclimating to their new environment.
Monitoring confirmed the success of the reintroduction; all 18 birds survived the initial period, and breeding commenced. By the second season, at least 20 chicks had successfully fledged. The population on Picard Island rapidly increased, reaching at least 51 birds by 2001.
A follow-up survey conducted 12 years after the reintroduction revealed that Picard Island's carrying capacity for rails had been met and possibly exceeded. Approximately 2,765 birds were counted in total, far surpassing initial predictions. By 2012, the population was estimated at nearly 3,000, demonstrating a remarkable recovery.
