There is now an increased possibility that the Norfolk Island green parrot, one of the rarest birds in the world, will avoid extinction following a determined effort to save the species, according to wildlife conservationists. Cats and rats introduced to the island have killed off huge numbers of the parrots, with just 46 of the animals left 12 months ago. The green parrots are found nowhere else in the world and are vulnerable to invasive predators because they nest in holes in tree trunks that are low to the ground. Norfolk Island wildlife rangers and the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife launched a recovery program that involved establishing 78 predator-proof nest sites on the island. Parrots are most vulnerable to predation during egg incubation. At the most recent count, there are 26 chicks sitting in the nests. In the past six months, 30 chicks have successfully ventured into the wild, 13 of them female. This number effectively doubled the known female population of the Norfolk Island green parrot species. Read more: Norfolk Island green parrot rescued from the brink of extinction | World news | theguardian.com
