November 23, 2016

Thanksgiving Species Snapshot: Waigeo Brush-Turkey

Once thought to be extinct, this rare turkey lives on a remote Indonesian island where few people have ever seen it, let alone eaten it

By John R. Platt

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Species name: The Waigeo brushturkey, aka the Bruijn's brushturkey (Aepypodius bruijnii)

Where found: The rugged, windy mountains of Waigeo Island, part of West Papua in Indonesia. The island is also home to several other endemic species, including the golden-spotted tree monitor (Varanus boehmei) and Waigeo cuscus (Spilocuscus papuensis).

IUCN Red List status: The species was previously believed to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 2002. Now it’s considered to be Endangered. Fewer than 1,000 of these large turkeys are thought to exist, all living in small population pockets.

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Major threat: The small population size makes this species particularly threatened, but hunting, habitat loss, fire and rogue dogs also contribute to its risk factors. Luckily these birds nest in the highest, remotest, least accessible mountains, making them fairly safe, although that also makes it hard for the turkeys to find each other.

Notable conservation programs: None, although about half of Waigeo is a currently set aside under the Cagar Alam Waigeo Barat Nature Reserve, effectively protecting these birds from threats such as logging and mining. Whether the Waigeo brushturkey continues to avoid those threats in the future, as more and more Indonesian islands get mined for their valuable minerals, remains to be seen.

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