The list of extinct species has been growing for decades, but happy news about the rediscovery of certain creatures, such the night parrot, has been spreading on social media.
For the first time in 100 years, a species thought to be extinct has been seen on video in Western Queensland’s Pullen Pullen Reserve. According to The Guardian, its stunning photographs have left birdwatchers “elated.”
A group of four Broome friends (Bruce Greatwich, George Swann, Adrian Boyle, and Nigel Jackett) made the finding after seven years of expertise spotting wildlife birds. Bruce Greatwich told Guardian Australia, “We are pretty experienced in these settings, so hearing anything fresh was extremely thrilling.”
During a nine-day bird-watching tour, the crew discovered the species. They heard some bird cries in an inland salt lake that were “quite fascinating,” according to Bruce Greatwich, and distinct from the sounds of all the species they had previously seen. They were both ecstatic and wary.
The next morning, a green and yellow night parrot with black-barred feathers appeared in front of George Swann, a team member. He experienced a rollercoaster of emotions as a result of the eye-catching appearance. He promptly notified the remainder of the gang, who ran to the location, where they witnessed it fly out of a patch of spinifex once more.
They were already able to snap images of the bird because they had cameras on them at all times.
“We were ecstatic, as ecstatic as you can be.” We were clearly very, very happy to see something happen that we had worked for for a long time and that many others had sought to achieve,” George Swann said.
The night parrot is a rare Australian bird. Scientists believe it is the world’s most elusive bird, because to its mottled brown, black, and yellow coloring. Unfortunately, the species hasn’t been seen alive in over a decade. The rediscovery of four humans was a significant step forward in the evolution of the species as well as the WA mining sector.
“We know that night parrots do appear in Western Australia today,” Rohan Clarke, head of Research Ecology, asserted. When it comes to assessing proposed projects or habitat degradation in the region, mining corporations, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Parks and Water… they will have to place a lot more weight on confirmed sightings now and in the future.”