After researchers re-examined how species wind up on endangered and extinct lists, eight bird species have been formally declared to be extinct in the wild. This announcement has sparked outrage around the world. One strikingly blue species, the Spix’s macaw, may be the most well-known of the animals on this list because it served as inspiration for characters in the film Rio.
Going Downhill
The Pernambuco pygmy-owl, the cryptic treehunter, the vivid blue Spix’s macaw, and several other bird species can now be considered to be extinct in the wild, according to a statistical analysis done by BirdLife International.
The Root Cause
Massive deforestation is the main cause of these bird species’ decline in the wild. The majority of bird extinctions in the past were caused by hunting or invasive species attacking birds that were confined to small islands.
The majority of the extinctions on the current list, according to scientists, were caused by deforestation in South American nations. The Spix’s macaw’s rescue attempts will have to concentrate on reproducing among the birds still kept in captivity.