Nine Extinct in the Wild sihek – also known as Guam Kingfishers (three of whom hatched at the National Aviary earlier this year) – have made the historic flight to their NEW island home in the Pacific Ocean. This journey is just a few weeks ahead of their planned staggered release onto the island – which will mark the first time this species has had a wild population since the 1980s!
On Wednesday, August 28, this precious cargo arrived safely to The Nature Conservancy’s preserve and research station at Palmyra Atoll from their previous home in a Sihek Translocation Biosecurity Facility at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas. The nine Guam Kingfishers were all hatched and hand-reared under the care of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP). The National Aviary has been actively working within the SSP® and the Sihek Recovery Program, a project bringing together world-leading conservation experts and eight other AZA-accredited zoos across the country, to complete one ultimate goal: establish a population of these rare sapphire and cinnamon feathered birds to their rightful home in the wild.
Sihek, as the birds are known by the indigenous CHamoru* people, once flourished on the North Pacific island of Guam. However, the island’s accidental introduction of the Brown Tree Snake in the 1940s decimated sihek and other native bird populations. Following the last wild sihek sighting in 1988, the species was officially classified as Extinct in the Wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Through an emergency rescue operation of 28 sihek in the 1980s, carried out by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and Guam Department of Agriculture (DOAG), a small number of sihek were rescued into human care.
The National Aviary’s Senior Aviculturist Brianna Crane played a crucial role in ensuring three out of the nine Guam Kingfishers made it through this process.
“Introducing a species into the wild is an extremely intricate process. Every step counts. At the Aviary, that included the careful extraction of two eggs from the nest box of one of our Guam Kingfisher pairs and their incubation and hatchings in our breeding center. Our commitment to providing quality care encouraged the Cincinnati Zoo to entrust one of their Guam Kingfisher eggs to hatch at the Aviary. I transported these three little beacons of hope (one female and two male chicks affectionately named, Långet, which means “heaven” or “sky” in CHamoru; Mames, which means “sweet” and Sindålu (sin-duh-loo), meaning warrior) to the Sedgwick County Zoo personally, a trip that for me, highlighted this program’s potential, which cannot be overstated: these very sihek are the key to a future wild population and potentially a downgraded IUCN status. It’s truly amazing.”
For DOAG Program Coordinator and member of Guam’s Indigenous CHamoru community, Yolonda Topasna this project means so much more than simply releasing birds back to where they belong:
“As our beloved sihek – Guam’s kingfisher – journey to Palmyra Atoll, I feel their resilience reflecting our own. But their true home is Guam, just as it is ours. We must bring them back to Guam, for their return is vital to restoring our island’s balance and thriving together”, says Topansa. “We, the CHamoru of Guahan, have survived threats and invasions, holding fast to our language, songs, and spirit. Our small island has endured, and like the sihek, we long for the return of all that belongs to Guahan to make us whole again.”
The sihek will spend the next few weeks in temporary aviaries built near their new forest home, giving them time to acclimate while their care team continues to monitor them before release on the predator-free and fully protected island of Palmyra Atoll – home to a nature preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy, located inside a US Fish & Wildlife Service refuge. The Atoll will provide the species a safe, wild home to thrive in and establish a breeding population, with the ultimate goal of one day returning the species to Guam, once the threat from Brown Tree Snakes is controlled.
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National Aviary
Located on Pittsburgh’s historic Northside since its founding in 1952, the one and only National Aviary is home to 500 birds representing more than 150 diverse species from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild. The National Aviary’s large walk-through habitats create an intimate, up-close interaction between visitors and free-flying birds, including opportunities to hand-feed and to meet many species rarely found in zoos. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily. For tickets and more information visit aviary.org.
Sihek Recovery Program:
The Sihek Recovery Program is a global collaborative of conservationists dedicated to recovering one of Guam’s most iconic native species, the sihek (Guam kingfisher, Todiramphus cinnamominus). The Sihek Recovery Program is made up of partners from the following organizations: US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Guam DAWR, ZSL, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Sedgwick County Zoo, AZA, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The CHamoru people refer to the Guam kingfisher as sihek.
*CHamoru name is spelt with a capitalised H.
Conservations zoos collaborating to reverse extinction
In 2023, ZSL scientists released a study showing that conservation zoos have the powerful potential to reverse extinction. Published in the journal Science – the world’s leading outlet for cutting-edge science – the research is the first to comprehensively evaluate the 95 extinct in the wild animals and plants that since 1950 have only survived in human care. The paper outlines how immense collaborative efforts by zoos and botanical institutions – working alongside governments and partners responsible for wild habitats – have combined to prevent extinction and allow some species to successfully reclaim their wild habitats. More here:
Conservation zoos have powerful potential to reverse extinction | ZSL
ZSL
Founded in 1826, ZSL is an international conservation charity, driven by science, working to restore wildlife in the UK and around the world; by protecting critical species, restoring ecosystems, helping people and wildlife live together and inspiring support for nature. Through our leading conservation zoos, London and Whipsnade, we bring people closer to nature and use our expertise to protect wildlife today, while inspiring a lifelong love of animals in the conservationists of tomorrow. Visit www.zsl.org for more information.
The Nature Conservancy
A global nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends, The Nature Conservancy works in more than 70 countries and territories using a collaborative approach. Informed by science and guided by traditional values and practices, we apply innovative, nature-based solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive. TNC has forged partnerships to manage 14 preserves and other sites in Hawai‘i and Palmyra Atoll, working with government, private parties, and communities to protect Hawai‘i’s and Palmyra’s forests and coral reefs for their ecological value and for the many benefits they provide to people. Visit nature.org/HawaiiPalmyra.