Rare tropical forest hen had not been seen in practically 20 years
EL PASO, Texas (Feb. 20, 2024) – For the primary time, scientists have captured pictures of a hen lengthy thought misplaced.
The first-ever {photograph} of the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike, or Prionops alberti, was taken throughout a recent expedition led by scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso. Credit: Matt Brady / The University of Texas at El Paso
Known because the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike, or Prionops alberti, the species is listed as a ‘lost bird’ by the American Bird Conservancy as a result of it had not been seen in practically 20 years.
University of Texas at El Paso scientists made the invention throughout a six-week expedition to the Itombwe Massif, a mountain vary in jap Democratic Republic of the Congo. The pictures of the helmetshrikes have been reviewed and confirmed by Cameron Rutt, Ph.D., who manages the Lost Birds venture on the American Bird Conservancy.
“It was a mind-blowing experience to come across these birds. We knew they might be possible here, but I was not prepared for how spectacular and unique they would appear in life,” mentioned Michael Harvey, Ph.D, an ornithologist and UTEP assistant professor within the Department of Biological Sciences.
Harvey co-led the expedition with UTEP Professor of Biological Sciences Eli Greenbaum, Ph.D. They have been joined by ornithologist Matt Brady, in addition to a gaggle of Congolese researchers from the Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles, together with Chifundera Kusamba, Ph.D., Robert Kizungu Byamana, Chance Bahati Muhigirwa, Mwenebatu M. Aristote and Wandege M. Muninga.
The staff trekked by foot for over 75 miles by way of the depths of the Itombwe Massif, finding out birds, amphibians and reptiles alongside the best way.
While exploring the cloud forests on the slopes of a mountain, Harvey and Brady stumbled upon the helmetshrike — a hanging black hen with a vivid yellow “helmet.” The staff mentioned they appeared as reasonably “noisy and active groups in the midstory of the forest.”
The hen is endemic to the western slopes of the Albertine Rift of Central Africa, in line with Harvey, a area that has been largely inaccessible as a result of conflict and safety points, however that has not too long ago turn into safer to go to.
In complete, about 18 birds have been discovered at three websites in the course of the expedition.
“This inspires hope that perhaps the species still has a reasonably healthy population in the remote forests of the region,” Harvey mentioned. “But mining and logging as well as the clearing of forests for agriculture are making inroads deep into the forests of the Itombwe range. We are in discussions with other researchers and conservation organizations to further efforts to protect the region’s forests and the helmetshrike.”
Harvey added, “Right now is a golden opportunity to protect these tropical forests, so that we don’t lose species like the helmetshrike before they are known and studied.”
The expedition, which ran from December 2023 to January 2024, yielded different vital discoveries. The herpetology staff rediscovered the Red-bellied Squeaker Frog, or Arthroleptis hematogaster, which had not been seen for the reason that Fifties. The frog rediscovery has been confirmed by David Blackburn, Ph.D., professor on the University of Florida’s Museum of Natural History.
“UTEP’s global impact is showcased through not just the accomplishments of its graduates but also through groundbreaking and captivating discoveries, exemplified here by the contributions of Drs. Greenbaum and Harvey,” mentioned UTEP College of Science Dean Robert Kirken, Ph.D. “I hope this discovery illuminates and inspires students and scientists worldwide.”
The expedition was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Conservation, Food and Health Foundation.
This was Greenbaum’s eleventh expedition to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Greenbaum is the writer of Emerald Labyrinth: A Scientist’s Adventures in the Jungles of the Congo.
Last Updated on February 19, 2024 at 12:00 AM | Originally revealed February 19, 2024
By MC Staff
UTEP Marketing and Communications
