For almost two centuries, the cucuves, a small bird that has remained isolated in the Galápagos Islands, has experienced genetic transformations and variations in its song, which has created the possibility of its eventual extinction due to the difficulty of recognizing other individuals of its species on different islands. This situation has been documented by a team of researchers from the Galápagos National Park and a university in New Zealand.
According to the study, the songs of cuckoo birds (Mimus parvulus) on Floreana Island have evolved significantly compared to those on Gardner and Champion Islands, a phenomenon that was observed when analyzing recordings of their songs over the course of six decades.
Currently, it is estimated that there are between 250 and 400 birds on Gardner Island and between 50 and 80 on Champion, after the extinction of the largest population on Floreana Island about 200 years ago, due to the introduction of invasive species such as cats, rats and goats that destroy the habitat of these birds.
The two islands where these specimens are found are located near Floreana Island, at the tip of the Ecuadorian Galapagos Islands, a remote archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, 1,000 kilometers from the coast of Ecuador, which serves as a refuge for cucuves, also known as sinsontes.
The leader of the investigation, Luis Ortiz-Catedral of Massey University in New Zealand, showed that the original kitchens have genetic differences from those that inhabit the islands, but the most notable is the transformation in their songs. Although these changes can become desperate for human hearing, they were identified using a specialized digital program.
Ortiz-Catedral warns of the importance of the two groups of cucuves on the two islands reconnecting with individuals of their own species to avoid a possible extinction that would result in the loss of genetic diversity, crucial for resistance to pathogens and extreme conditions on the islands.
The cucuva, which inspired Charles Darwin's reflections on the evolution of the species after his visit to the Galápagos in 1835, found itself at risk due to the lack of communication between individuals of the species, which hindered their reproduction and survival, especially given that it was a very small and isolated population.
To overcome this situation, it is planned to reintroduce species such as cucuves and giant tortoises to Floreana Island in the next five years as part of a restoration plan that will facilitate contact between isolated populations and promote their mutual interaction.
The Galápagos Islands, declared a Natural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1979, are home to terrestrial and marine species unique in the world, extending over 1,000 kilometers of Ecuadorian territory, representing an invaluable natural treasure that requires conservation efforts to preserve biodiversity.
