Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Alaotra Grebe: another one (that we know of) bit the dust...

London, England (CNN) -- The Alaotra Grebe, a small diving bird native to Madagascar has been officially classified extinct, according to a leading bird conservation organization.

BirdLife International reported that the species, once found on Lake Alaotra, the largest lake in Madagascar, declined rapidly due to carnivorous fish being introduced to the lake and the use of nylon gill nets by local fishermen.

"No hope now remains for this species. It is another example of how human actions can have unforeseen consequences," Dr Leon Bennun, BirdLife International's director of science, policy and information said in a statement.

And so the bad news continues as we march on, oblivious, right through this Holocene mass extinction, uncaring, unaware of, or unwilling to admit our own culpability. Read the rest of the CNN story and Birdlife's report for more bad news about species on the brink. That we know of.

Posted via web from a leaf warbler's gleanings

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