Isobel Shepherd-Smith has a nice article on The Times website about the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation and how it has been working to bring back native creatures from the brink of extinction. The article ticks many of the Last Chance To See boxes with mentions of Carl Jones, Dodos, Mauritius Kestrels, Pink Pigeons, Echo Parakeets, Gerald Durrell, Round Island, and Rodrigues.

In the Seventies the kestrel, the only raptor on the island, was one of the rarest birds in the world – only four lived in the wild. Today there are more than 800.

In 1980 the number of pink pigeons barely made double figures; 27 years later there were 380. In the 1980s the emerald green echo parakeet numbered little more than a dozen; now there are well over 300.
[...]
“At the start of this conservation work in the 1970s the future of the endemic species in Mauritius and Rodrigues seemed bleak and many thought that few could be saved from extinction. Thirty years later the long-term conservation of all the Mascarene [Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues] endemics is within our grasp.”

**LAST CHANCE REMINDER**
I'm giving away a second-hand hardback 1977 edition (ex-library copy) of Gerald Durrell's book "Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons". It's a very entertaining account of Durrell's trip to Mauritius, Round Island and Rodrigues to capture various creatures for his captive breeding programs. The book has a little water damage stain, but other than that, it's in very good reading condition, and is full of many nice illustrations and a section of black & white photographic plates.

If anyone would like a chance to read it now that I'm done with it, please simply enter your name in this ContestMachine widget below. Or, if you know someone else who may be interested, do let them know, or just post this competition to your favorite social network(s). US readers only please. Contest closes 02/19/09 09:47 PM

The Des Moines Register reports that a Mauritius pink pigeon recently joined the birds at Blank Park Zoo's indoor Discovery Center. As one of 44 Pink Pigeon's in the US, she will shortly be given a mate to try and increase the worldwide population of less than 500 birds.

"We are waiting for the (species survival plan) to identify a male that can come to Blank Park," said Kevin Drees, Blank Park Zoo director of animal care and conservation. "We don't know where that bird is yet. Hopefully it exists."

Mauritius' population of pink pigeons numbered fewer than 25 in the mid-1970s due to loss of habitat and non-native predators, like feral cats. A captive breeding program was initiated on the island.

The Blank Park Zoo article on the bird's arrival says...

In 1976 the wild population was down to less than 25 pink pigeons. That same year a captive breeding program was established which involved zoos and other private organizations. The most resent census concluded there just over 250 in the wild.

**
Plus, a reminder that I'm giving away a second-hand hardback 1977 edition (ex-library copy) of Gerald Durrell's book "Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons". It's a very entertaining account of Durrell's trip to Mauritius, Round Island and Rodrigues to capture various creatures for his captive breeding programs. The book has a little water damage stain, but other than that, it's in very good reading condition, and is full of many nice illustrations and a section of black & white photographic plates.

If anyone would like a chance to read it now that I'm done with it, please simply enter your name in this ContestMachine widget below. Or, if you know someone else who may be interested, do let them know, or just post this competition to your favorite social network(s). US readers only please. Contest closes 02/19/09 09:47 PM

I'm giving away a second-hand hardback 1977 edition (ex-library copy) of Gerald Durrell's book "Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons". It's a very entertaining account of Durrell's trip to Mauritius, Round Island and Rodrigues to capture various creatures for his captive breeding programs. The book has a little water damage stain, but other than that, it's in very good reading condition, and is full of many nice illustrations and a section of black & white photographic plates.

If anyone would like a chance to read it now that I'm done with it, please simply enter your name in this ContestMachine widget below. Or, if you know someone else who may be interested, do let them know, or just post this competition to your favorite social network(s). I'll pick a random winner in two weeks time. US readers only please. Contest closes 02/19/09 09:47 PM