Once thought extinct, the black-naped pheasant-pigeon has been rediscovered thanks to the efforts of scientists. According to a report by the Independent, it was after a month of intense searching that a study team was able to catch film of the uncommon species in the jungle of a small island situated in Papua New Guinea back in September. Setting up more than 20 camera traps and conducting regular interviews with locals made for a challenging expedition.
In a Twitter post, the video of the rare bird was shared with a caption, "During the final hours of an expedition searching for the Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon, camera traps captured photos and video of the bird, which had been long-lost to science for 140 years."
John Mittermeier, the expedition's co-leader, likened the search for the mythical creature to "finding a unicorn." The huge, ground-dwelling pigeon had been searched for on three separate occasions in 2019, but no evidence of this unusual species was ever discovered.
Now, this year, a team of researchers apparently reached the communities situated on the western slope of Mount Kilkerran, where they started meeting hunters who had spotted the pheasant pigeon.
One of the hunters reportedly gave the group a good tip, suggesting that they should look in a region of high hills and valleys where he had supposedly heard the bird's characteristic cry. Researchers placed cameras in the region and managed to get a picture of the bird in the last days before leaving the island.
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While there is a lack of data on this species, experts have concluded that there are likely just a few hundred individuals left on the island. The experts are optimistic that the data they obtained during the journey will be useful in preserving the last members of the endangered species. They want to discover a means to prevent their extinction.
