Mauritius parakeet  (Psittacula eques)

Much of the natural heritage of Mauritius has been lost, and the parakeet itself teetered on the brink of extinction towards the end of the 20th Century. In 1986, only three females were known in the wild and the population as a whole numbered between 8 and 12 birds (4). Much of the native habitat of the island has been destroyed, and remaining pockets are vulnerable to storm damage (5). The Mauritius parakeet relies completely on native fauna for both food and nest sites and has been devastated by this habitat decline (4). In addition, the introduction of predators such as the crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) and the black rat (Rattus rattus) has further affected population numbers (5).

The population of Mauritius parakeets today is steadily increasing; in January 2000 the wild population stood at 106 to 126 birds, and it is continuing to rise (2), with an estimated 343 wild birds at the end of 2007 (1). This has resulted in the World Conservation Union (IUCN) downlisting the Mauritius parakeet from Critically Endangered to Endangered in 2007 (1). This remarkable achievement has come about by the concerted conservation efforts of a broad-based initiative run in collaboration with the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation (6), Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (4), the World Parrot Trust (7) and the Wildlife Preservation Trust of Canada (2). Areas of remaining habitat have been protected and restored by removing introduced plants and animals; Black River National Park has been established to protect the majority of the wild population and is the first national park to be created in Mauritius (4). The breeding success of wild birds has been increased through programmes that supplement their diet and provide a greater number of nesting sites. In addition, captive-reared birds are now being released into the wild to bolster numbers (5). This is a wonderful example of how concerted conservation effort can slow the loss of our world’s biodiversity.