As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Thursday 26 September 2019

Guns, predators and deforestation are pushing Samoa's national bird to extinction


Amber-Leigh Woolf 16:09, Sep 10 2019

Wellington Chocolate Factory co-founder Gabe Davidson talks about making Save the Manumea chocolate.
Kiwis are being called on to help save the national bird of Samoa from extinction - there's fewer than 200 left. 
The elusive Manumea is rarely sighted in Samoan forests due to hunting, deforestation and predators, and leaders are calling for a hunting ban to save them. 
Samoa's High Commissioner to New Zealand, Leasi Papali'i Tommy Scanlan, said the people of Samoa loved the Manumea like New Zealanders love the kiwi. 
In the 1990s, there were about 7000 Manumea - now there's fewer than 150.
"If it becomes extinct it will be a very sad day for us." 
In July, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern launched a Save the Manumea campaign in Apia with the Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, and the Wellington Chocolate Factory is producing a unique chocolate bar fundraiser for the conservation effort.  
The Wellington Chocolate Factory was donated cacao from the Savai'i Koko plantation to make 700 limited edition Save the Manumea bars.
The Save the Manumea campaign calls for a ban on hunting birds as  Manumea are being accidentally shot by people hunting the Lupe, the Pacific Pigeon. 
Pigeon snaring was once a distinguished sport among Samoa's high chiefs, but Papali'i said tradition hads to change to save the Manumea. 
"When they go hunting in the heavy forest and see the big bird, they can't distinguish between the pigeon and the Manumea, and they'll shoot." 



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