A “lost species” which has eluded documentation for more than half a century has been photographed for the first time in 55 years, the World Wildlife Fund (WFF) reported.
Tom Vierus, a photographer based in Fiji, was hiking in Papua New Guinea’s Nakanai Mountains back in March when he captured a photo of the exceedingly rare New Britain Goshawk.
"I was on a scoping trip with WWF in Pomio [eastern New Britain], with three members of the local community guiding us through the forest, so we could better understand the presence of species," Vierus explained. "I photographed several bird species, including the New Britain Goshawk, but wasn't aware of the significance at the time," he admitted.
The Red List of Endangered Species classifies the New Britain Goshawk as a vulnerable species, which is just short of endangered. As of 2016, the species numbered between 2,500–9,999 "mature individuals."
The rare New Britain Goshawk has been photographed for the first time in history! While there have been multiple sight-only reports of the bird, the goshawk has not been photographed or recorded in the 55 years since the last specimen was found: https://t.co/v5Yx1aPwrq. pic.twitter.com/0MuX00NNeF
— World Wildlife Fund (@World_Wildlife) September 17, 2024
According to John Mittermeier, the director of the Search for Lost Birds at American Bird Conservancy, the New Britain Goshawk hasn’t been documented since 1969. But those documents do not include photos, making Vierus’ one of “the first-ever of this ‘lost species.’” Mittermeier marveled at how the bird "eluded photo, sound, and specimen documentation for 55 years.”
After the Goshawk’s recent sighting, the government of Papua New Guinea asked WWF to ramp up their conservation efforts in the region. "It is wonderful to see how conservation photography can help in safeguarding areas by documenting the existing biodiversity, Vierus said, noting that it’s also “a good reminder of how important visual storytelling is."
???? RARE FIND: The New Britain Goshawk, unseen for 55 years, was just photographed in ????????! ????This discovery, made possible by @WWFBelgique, highlights the urgent need to protect its habitat from logging & mining threats.
— WWF-Pacific (@wwfpacific) September 13, 2024
Read more: https://t.co/n05PlVNdaT@pngcepa pic.twitter.com/liLQb4fKAM
