Genetic analysis uncovers new parrot on the edge of extinction
Jeremy Hancemongabay.com
November 23, 2010
 An adult Western Ground Parrot photographed in Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia. Photo by Brent Barrett, West Australia Department of Environment and Conservation. |
Nearly the entire population of western ground parrots survive in Cape Arid National Park.
"A single wildfire through the national park or an influx of introduced predators, such as cats, could rapidly push the species to extinction. There is now an urgent need to prevent further population declines and to establish insurance populations into parts of the former range," said West Australia Department of Environment and Conservation Dr Allan Burbidge.
Whereas the western ground parrot is dangerously close to extinction, the eastern ground parrot is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. Researchers are frequently discovering species through DNA analysis; such new species are referred to as 'cryptic', since they may look similar to other species but DNA proves their unique evolution.
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