CONSERVATIONISTS could only look on as the world鈥檚 rarest bird went extinct last week.
The Hawaiian po鈥檕uli (Melamprosops phaeosoma), a sparrow-sized honeycreeper, was discovered in 1973 on Maui. But its numbers dwindled fast as introduced rats ate the snails that were its prey. By 1997, just three birds remained.
In September this year, one was caught in hopes of starting a captive breeding programme, but on 26 November it died at the Maui Bird Conservation Center. The stress of captivity may have been a factor, but an autopsy showed old age had taken a toll on the bird鈥檚 organs, says Alan Lieberman of the Zoological Society of San Diego, which operates the bird centre.
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Field crews were out looking for the two remaining po鈥檕uli this week. But as they have not been seen since February, and are of a similar age, it is likely they too have died. 鈥淚 held [the last known po鈥檕uli] when it was alive and when it was dead,鈥� Lieberman says. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 a more fitting example of extinction, it鈥檚 impossible to imagine.鈥�