Slender-billed curlew declared extinct

This dramatic news highlights the global challenges of species extinction and the urgent need for action in the field of nature conservation.

The last confirmed sighting of the slender-billed curlew dates back to the 1990s. Despite intensive international efforts, such as search operations in its former breeding grounds in Siberia and along its migration routes, no stable population could be identified. Scientists have now concluded that the species must be considered extinct.

Habitat loss and human influences as the main causes

The slender-billed curlew was once widespread across the wetlands of Eurasia. Its habitat — wet meadows, moorlands and floodplain landscapes — was severely impacted, however, by agricultural intensification, drainage projects and urbanisation. In addition, hobby hunting and disturbances at its stopover and wintering sites contributed significantly to its disappearance. The destruction of intact ecosystems along the migration routes of this species underscores the importance of international cooperation in nature conservation. Hobby hunting threatens biodiversity worldwide.

A wake-up call for species protection

«The loss of the slender-billed curlew is a sad milestone in the history of species extinction. It shows us how urgently we must act to protect other endangered species», explains Dr. Holger Buschmann, state chair of NABU Lower Saxony. «But it also shows us that extinction is not only happening in the tropics, but continues to occur right on our doorstep. It begins with once common species that decline dramatically, then disappear regionally, and ultimately become extinct worldwide. Our ecosystems are based on biodiversity, and we humans depend on functioning ecosystems. It is also well known that the loss of every animal or plant species contributes to the destabilisation of ecosystems. Thus, with the extinction of the slender-billed curlew, we are also moving closer to the risk that in the future we will have no air to breathe, no water to drink, and no food to eat.»

Further endangered bird species and the role of hobby hunting are addressed in the hunting myths and the animal welfare problem sections.