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One of the rarest birds in the world has seen six pigeon chicks hatch in a sanctuary in Mauritius - thanks to a breeding season a Jersey conversation charity described as "the most successful season to date".
With a population that dwindled to only ten individuals in the wild in the 1970s, pink pigeons are "an important part of Durrell's history", according to the charity.
Jersey Zoo Curator of Birds, Harriet Whitford, travelled to Mauritius to visit the Gerald Durrell Endemic Wildlife Sanctuary and prepare the aviaries on-site for the breeding season.
Harriet and sanctuary supervisor Amanda Maujean, from the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, worked together to improve the birds' living conditions and care, including improving their aviaries ahead of the breeding season.
Of the six chicks born this season, three were fathered by Jersey birds.
Pictured: Gerald Durrell led the way in setting up the first ever captive breeding programme for Pink Pigeons.
Hailed as one of conservation’s biggest success stories, Jersey Zoo have been following in their founder’s footsteps to save the pink pigeon after Gerald Durrell led the way in setting up the first ever captive breeding programme for the “precious” birds.
Back in the 1970s when Gerald first brought the pigeons back to Jersey, it was thought that there were only ten of the birds left in the wild due to deforestation and the introduction of non-indigenous predators to their habitat.
With a currently stable wild population, the same threats as previously remain - but the birds' status has come back from being on the brink of extinction and is now classified as "vulnerable".
The pigeon recovery programme is a collaboration between Durrell, MWF, the National Parks and Conservation Service (Government of Mauritius), Mauritius Commercial Bank and other partners, Durrell has said, and the Zoo as well as sites in Mauritiues continue to work for the birds' continued survival.
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