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Chester Zoo announces birth of 'extinct' species - Liverpool Echo
Chester Zoo's hatching of eight Socorro dove chicks strengthens the population of fewer than 200 globally, supporting future reintroduction to their native habitat, experts say.
- Chester Zoo announced eight Socorro dove chicks hatched this summer, marking a major breeding success for the species extinct in the wild for over five decades.
- Once native to Socorro Island, Mexico, the species vanished after introduced sheep and feral cats brought by naval families devastated vegetation and preyed on wildlife, with the last verified wild sighting in 1972.
- In 1995 the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria formally recognised the Socorro dove conservation breeding programme as a European Endangered Species Programme.
- Chester staff said the chicks will strengthen the insurance population, with several already independent and others soon fledging, noting it’s intense but necessary to increase numbers rapidly.
- Chester Zoo currently cares for two breeding pairs involved in a global conservation effort, and keepers report hope for another clutch soon, supporting reintroduction plans.
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