DEAR EDITOR, the Santa Cruz ground dove is a beautiful bird with its pink frontal feathers but very sadly it’s already becoming an endangered species in the Solomon Islands because invasive rats eat their eggs and ash fromTinakulu volcanic activity has further threatened their traditional breeding sites.
Because of a reported lack of breeding facilities to help re-populate the doves, the Solomon Islands Government has sent 60 doves to Singapore where they will be kept at the largest bird park in the world – the Jurong Bird Park.
Situated on Jurong Hill the wildlife park contains more than 8,000 birds of more than 600 species, some very rare and previously endangered species.
The Solomon Islands Government, through the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Meteorology (MECDM) is congratulated for having signed an agreement with the Jurong Bird Park which, hopefully, will result in re-populating the doves and thereby re-introducing them back to their native, original, Santa Cruze environment.
The Solomon Islands, apart from its pristine beauty as a tourist destination has some unique flora and fauna and protection of such valuable assets must never be allowed to be neglected.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
