Three encounters in 100 years: 'lost bird' is found again in Indonesia

The blue-fronted lorikeet (Charmosynopsis toxopei) John C. Mittermeier/ Disclosure/ REUTERS The Buru lorikeet or blue-fronted lorikeet (Charmosyna toxopei), endemic to Indonesia, has once again been recorded in a mountainous region on the island of Buru, renewing hopes for the conservation of one of the rarest birds in the world. Before the recent record, the species was only known from the seven specimens collected in the 1920s and from a photographic record obtained in 2014. ? Also follow Terra da Gente on Instagram The animal was photographed during an expedition carried out in April 2026 in the highest areas of Mount Kapalatmada. The researchers were also able to record, for the first time, the species' calls in nature. The lory is part of an international list of "lost species" - species known to science that remained without documented records in the wild for more than a decade, although they are not officially considered extinct. The rediscovery was announced by international conservation organizations. The bird is found only on the island of Buru, in the Moluccas archipelago, and has always been considered one of the most difficult species to locate in Indonesia. Described by science from seven specimens collected in the 1920s, the lory disappeared from scientific records for almost 90 years. The only modern evidence of its existence had been a photograph taken in 2014 during a birdwatching expedition. See more news from Terra da Gente, on g1: SHARK: Mangona shark uses São Paulo coast as a breeding site ADAPTATION: Do Amazonian trees do 'counts'? See how they can change their strategy to survive PHOTO: Spotted by an Alta-Forest zogue with its baby on its back on a canopy bridge Now, a new expedition has confirmed that the species continues to survive in the island's montane forests. According to the researchers, the team recorded at least nine sightings of the species throughout the expedition. The team also obtained new photographs and made the first known sound recording of the species. Almost inaccessible forest Panoramic mountain landscape of the Rinjani volcano on the island of Lombok, Indonesia Getty Images via BBC The expedition traveled for two weeks through one of the most isolated regions of the island. The group faced limestone walls, steep slopes, dense vegetation, lack of water sources and sections without trails until reaching the cloud forest areas where the parrot lives. Access was only possible because local mountaineers had recently mapped a route to the highest point of Mount Kapalatmada. According to John Mittermeier, director of the Search for Lost Birds program at the American Bird Conservancy, the team believed that the species could occupy high-altitude areas that had never been adequately researched. Researchers believe the species has always occupied the island's montane forests, but these areas remained largely inaccessible until local mountaineers opened a new access route to Mount Kapalatmada. The hypothesis ended up being confirmed. Species remains surrounded by mysteries Despite the rediscovery, very little is still known about the Buru lory. Researchers do not know the size of the population, the area occupied by the species or the main threats to its survival. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently classifies the bird as Data Deficient, precisely due to the lack of information about its distribution and abundance. Experts warn that the island's forests are under pressure from deforestation, in addition to hunting and illegal capture of birds, which reinforces the need for new research and conservation measures. See what's highlighted in g1: