Nicky Aulia Widadio
19 February 2020•Update: 19 February 2020
JAKARTA, Indonesia
Indonesia has added 21 new species to its list of endemic birds, Burung Indonesia, a nonprofit bird conservation organization, said Tuesday.
The archipelagic nation currently hosts 1,794 bird species, making it the world’s fourth-largest bird conservatory.
“The additional bird species include seven newly described species as well as 14 species previously categorized as subspecies,” Achmad Ridha, a communications officer at the organization, told Anadolu Agency.
The new species include the Peleng Fantail and the Peleng Leaf-Warbler which originated from Peleng Island in Central Sulawesi province. Three other new species are endemic to Talibu Island in North Maluku province, including the Taliabu Bush Warbler, the Taliabu Myzomela and the Taliabu Leaf-Warbler.
In addition, there are also the Alor Myzomela, a new species discovered in October 2019 which is endemic to Alor Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, and Dicaeum dayakorum, a new Latin name given to the Spectacled Flowerpecker which honors the Dayak people, who have extensive knowledge about the flora and fauna of their native regions.
Ridha said the discoveries greatly contribute to conservation and protection efforts involving wildlife facing extinction, especially Indonesia’s endemic bird species.
“If there is a significant disturbance in their habitat, these species will become extinct altogether due to their endemic status," he added.
- Endangered species
The World Conservation Agency (IUCN) updated its list of endangered species at the end of 2019.
Based on the list, eight bird species are highly vulnerable to extinction.
They are the White-vented Myna (Acridotheres javanicus), the Grey-Cheeked Bulbul (Alophoixus bres), the Blue-winged Leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis), the Sumatran Leafbird (Chloropsis media), the Green Leafbird (Chloropsis sonnerati), the Blue-eared Lory (Eos semilarvata), the Tanimbar (Megapodius tenimberensis) and the Javan White-eye (Zosterops flavus).
“Habitat loss has been and is still the greatest threat of extinction,” Ridha said.
