SYDNEY,
Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- A small Australian bird species hit by bush fires in South
Australia has surprised ecologists by quickly breeding after an unprecedented
effort to relocate the birds, local media reported on Saturday.
The
Mallee emu-wren is found in only two core locations in Victoria and South
Australia states, but severe bush fires four years ago destroyed their southern
habitat, reported the ABC news channel.
"We
could never officially say they were extinct because there's so much habitat
out there," local government ecologist Chris Hedger told the channel.
"But
we were very confident that if there were any individuals left, it was
functionally extinct and would not be able to survive in the long term."
Earlier
this year, wildlife groups and authorities relocated about 80 of the birds from
their Victoria habitats to a conservation park in South Australia to help boost
their numbers.
A recent
survey showed that the birds, known for their distinctive reddish-brown heads,
sky blue chests and long tails, are thriving in their habitats with significant
numbers breeding, reported the channel.
"Certainly
the fact they are breeding is a good indicator of what we might expect,"
said Hedger.
"No
one has ever moved this species, and if they have moved a similar species, it
certainly wasn't in the numbers we're talking about."
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