The release of the Hawaiian crow, or ʻalala, represents decades of conservation work to save an endangered bird, revered by Native Hawaiians as sacred.
Michelle Bogardus remarked, 'It's an increasing practice, especially as we start to experience greater effects from global climate change... the historic habitat for a species is no longer capable of sustaining populations.'
The ʻalala can transform a twig into a tool, showcasing a rare cognitive ability that was nearly lost to extinction due to habitat destruction and predation.
The crow was extinct in the wild by 2002, but conservation efforts saw its population rebounding before scientists decided to reintroduce them back into the wild.
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