Scientists have hatched three eggs of a nearly extinct bird species. It is believed that there are fewer than eleven blue-eyed ground doves left in the wild. The bird experts involved hope to be able to further expand the population of the bird after this success.
Bird experts at the British Chester Zoo had a small number of eggs that they wanted to hatch artificially. These eggs were found in the wild. The species is only found in Brazil.
The scientists hope that the birds will later breed in specially designated areas in the Brazilian nature reserve Parque das Aves, Chester Zoo reports. A number of blue-eyed ground doves already live in that park. The breeding project was a collaboration between the reserve, the Chester Zoo and bird experts from two American zoos.
In 2015, the blue-eyed ground dove was sighted again after seventy years. Since that rediscovery, bird experts have been trying to boost the population.
The bird species has been threatened with extinction for decades. This is due to climate change and human-caused wildfires, among other things.