THE International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared the slender-billed curlew extinct.
The announcement on Oct. 10 marked the end of decades of searches for rediscovery and the first recorded extinction of a formerly widespread migratory bird species.
The slender-billed curlew, (Numenius tenuirostris), was initially found across mainland Europe, North Africa, and West Asia. Its last confirmed sighting was on Feb. 25, 1995, at Merja Zerga, Morocco.
“The extinction of the slender-billed curlew is a tragic and sobering moment for migratory bird conservation,” said Amy Fraenkel, executive secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
The CMS is a United Nations treaty that unites governments and wildlife experts to conserve migratory species across the globe. It currently includes 133 parties, including the European Union.
“The slender-billed curlew’s extinction is a warning,” said Fraenkel, urging the need for international treaties to provide frameworks for governments and stakeholders to take collective action.
The exact cause of the slender-billed curlew’s extinction remains uncertain, but unsustainable hunting and loss of habitat are believed to have been factors.