The Mauritius Parakeet (Psittacula
eques echo), also known as Echo Parakeet, is the sole survivor
of the Psittacula species which inhabited the southern Indian Ocean
islands near Madagascar. Its local name is katover, aAlso gro
katover to distinguish it from the Rose-ringed Parakeet. The name is Mauritian
Creole, from French (gros) cateau vert.
Its scientific name change from Psittacula echo
had recently found widespread approval. A wealth of circumstantial evidence
nowadays suggests that the hypothesized Réunion Parakeet
(described earlier as Psittacula eques, based on a painting and hearsay
reports) did indeed exist. The Réunion birds were the closest relatives, and
presumably conspecific, with the
Mauritius ones.
On the other
hand, a recent review argued to maintain species status for the time being. A
study skin had been discovered at the Royal Museum of
Scotland, explicitly referencing a book description of the Réunion
birds. This may be the only material proof of these birds' existence, or be
from Mauritius. Even in that case, ancient DNA analysis of this specimen will give
new insight into these questions, because very little data exists on the
genetic diversity of the Mauritius Parakeet in former times.
In any case,
the Réunion and Mauritius birds certainly formed a clade.
Until the new DNA data is available - and even then only if it would show a
significant difference, it is really a matter of opinion whether one follows a lumper or a splitter
approach.
It is generally similar to the Rose-ringed Parakeet
- its closest living relative - except that the Mascarenes bird is a stockier species with a
markedly shorter tail and a more intensive emerald green. The females lack the neck collar,
and notably possess an all-black beak, unlike the males which have a red upper
beak. The latter feature is notably absent in the Rose-ringed Parakeet as well
as the Alexandrine Parakeet,
which is also generally similar and not too distantly related. However, it is
found in the Red-breasted Parakeet,
the Derbyan Parakeet
and the Nicobar Parakeet
which are morphologically dissimilar and apparently very closely related among
each other, though not to the Mauritius Parakeet or its immediate relatives.
The Mauritius Parakeet is one of the
most remarkable successes of conservation biology.
In the early 1980s, this parakeet was almost extinct. The roughly 10 birds that were left had
hardly ever bred successfully since some 10 years before for the lack of
suitable trees, nest predation, disturbance by
humans and feral pigs and deer, and competition with more plentiful bird
species including the introduced Rose-ringed Parakeet; the Mauritius Parakeet
seemed doomed to extinction. But with the team of Carl
Jones (of Mauritius Kestrel
and Last Chance to See
fame) taking over, a dedicated research and conservation effort was launched to
save the birds. By the late 1980s, the situation had at stabilized - though at
a precariously low level - and more young birds were being hatched. By the
mid-1990s, some 50-60 individuals were known altogether (including young birds)
and an intensive management of the wild population by the Mauritian
Wildlife Foundation could begin. These efforts paid off handsomely;
by January 2000, the population had exceeded 100 birds total. Since then, the
rapid recovery has continued. The total wild population is presently some
280-300 individuals of which some 200 are adult, half of which being breeding
pairs and most of the other half single males. A captive fall-back population
is held at the Gerald
Durrell Endemic Wildlife Sanctuary.
2007 down listing to Endangered status
Recognizing
that the Mauritius Parakeet was not acutely threatened with extinction anymore
but "merely" very rare, it is down listed from Critically Endangered
to Endangered in the 2007 IUCN Red List. The
goal for the near future is to have a stable population of 300 mature birds in
the wild by 2010, and it is most likely that this will be achieved. At present,
not all remaining and reconstituted habitat is utilized by the birds, so that the
population will continue to expand in the near future. It is still threatened
by unforeseeable events like tropical cyclones and psittacine
beak and feather disease, the impact of which is at present unknown,
and of course the threats which had brought it to near-extinction only some two
decades ago continue to hamper its recovery.
Source Wikipedia
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