Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Naturalis Biodiversity Center
It is a rare species of ground-dwelling pigeon.
One of the last living relatives of the extinct dodo bird has been spotted several times on the remote island of Samoa, offering hope that the critically endangered species may still survive, Live Science reports.
During a recent field survey conducted by the Samoan Conservation Society (SCS) from October 17 to November 13, researchers recorded five sightings of the manumea, also known as the tooth-billed pigeon (Didunculus strigirostris). In previous surveys, scientists encountered the bird only once — if at all. The last known photograph of the species taken in the wild dated back to 2013.
In the early 1990s, the population of these dodo-like birds, found only in Samoa, was estimated at around 7,000 individuals. However, habitat destruction, hunting, and invasive species have reduced their numbers to an estimated 50–150 birds by 2024. Scientists feared that the latest survey might fail to find any individuals, which would have suggested the species had gone extinct.
The manumea is the only surviving species in the genus Didunculus. If it disappears, the entire genus will vanish as well. Its name is often translated as “little dodo.” Both the dodo and the manumea belong to a group of island ground pigeons.
The dodo went extinct due to habitat loss, hunting, and introduced predators — the same threats now facing the manumea. Although hunting the bird is currently banned, experts say conservation efforts must now focus primarily on controlling invasive species, especially feral cats and rats, which prey on eggs, chicks, and adult birds.
