60 endangered species shipped to Singapore

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

LACK of breeding sites in the Solomon Islands has led to 60 Santa Cruz ground doves being shipped to Singapore two weeks ago with the hope of repopulating their inhabitants.

With the absence of prioritising breeding and management sites in Solomon Islands for its various endangered spices has resulted in transporting of Santa Cruz ground-doves to Singapore’s Junrong Bird Park to be repopulated.

Because of the breeding facilities absenteeism Solomon Islands Government through the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster management and Meteorology (MECDM) have signed an agreement on June 18, 2018 with the Singapore’s Junrong Bird Park.

The agreement allows shipping endangered species from Solomon Islands to Singapore for repopulation purposes, and 60 doves have already been sent two weeks ago.

In an exclusive interview with Joseph Hurutarua senior officer of MECDM he said the idea of transporting the doves to Singapore was done purposely because the country lacks proper breeding site.

Also the dove population is facing treats from the Tinakula volcanic activity, invasive rats eaten their eggs and poachers hunting them for consumption which contributed in the wiping out and decreasing of the doves hence the birds were transferred to be repopulated

“After the breeding timeframe is lapsed they(doves) will be released back to their original sites in the country Solomon Islands but their release will after an informative and effective awareness is first done as wells as addressing the issues of the invasive rats,” said Hurutarau.

According to Ministry’s corporate plan 2018 -2020, such activities are part of protecting ecosystems, biodiversity and endemic and threatened plan and animal species.

Meanwhile, report sited from Yahoo news Singapore video stated that the doves are currently undergoing a one –month quarantine at the bird park.

Thereafter, they will be on display at the park’s Wings of Asia exhibit, which houses other threatened birds from the Indo-Pacific such as the Bali Mynah, Black-winged Myanah, Edward’s Pheasant, Blue-crowned laughing thrush and straw-headed Bulbul.

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