Sumatran ground cuckoo

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Sumatran ground cuckoo
Sumatran Ground-Cuckoo 0A2A4427.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Cuculiformes
Family: Cuculidae
Genus: Carpococcyx
Species:
C. viridis
Binomial name
Carpococcyx viridis
Salvadori, 1879

The Sumatran ground cuckoo (Carpococcyx viridis) is a large, terrestrial species of cuckoo. It was introduced to Western science in 1879 and was formerly considered conspecific with the Bornean ground cuckoo but was given status as a unique species in 2000. [1] This elusive species was initially known from just eight specimens and evaded notice from 1916 until 1997, when it was rediscovered and photographed by Andjar Rafiastanto [ citation needed ]. The Sumatran ground cuckoo's diet is thought to consist of invertebrates, small mammals, and reptiles. [2]

Contents

Characteristics

The Sumatran ground cuckoo is a large, terrestrial bird with a long, full tail. Adult birds reach an average length of 55 cm. Its bill and sturdy legs are both green and it has a black crown, shading to green on hind crown. Its mantle, upper back, neck sides, lower throat, upper breast, wing-coverts and secondaries are dull green and its lower back is brown with broad greenish-brown bars. The wings and tail are glossy and greenish-black. The rest of its underparts are cinnamon-buff, more rufous on flanks and it displays striking green, lilac and blue bare skin around the eyes. Its repertoire of vocalizations is little-known but one recently recorded call consisted of repeated low whistles, falling then rising in tone and issued in a rising series (we-ow-we, we-ow-we, we-ow-we, we-ow-we; each phrase slightly higher than last). [1]

Distribution and habitat

The Sumatran ground cuckoo is endemic to Indonesia and is found exclusively on the island of Sumatra. Notes on early specimen labels suggest its favoured habitat is foothills and primary montane rainforest, and this is reinforced by the locations of recent sightings. [1] [2] It has been found between elevations of 300 and 1400 metres. [3] Because it is so rare today, a considerable body of information on the Sumatran ground cuckoo comes only from the records of Tommaso Salvadori, the Italian ornithologist and zoologist who discovered it; [1] there does not seem to have been much effort to learn more about the bird from locals.

It is estimated by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species that the total population of Sumatran ground cuckoos ranges from 50 to 249 mature individuals, and its population is thought to be decreasing. [1] It is considered one of the 100 most endangered bird species in the world. [4] Like its close relative the Bornean ground cuckoo it is considered unobtrusive, which may further account for the lack of sightings. [1]

Most modern-day sightings have taken place in the Barisan Mountains in South Sumatra and the Kerinci Seblat National Park of Jambi province, beginning with the individual photographed in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in 1997. [5] Five more sightings were reported in the immediate vicinity between 2007 and 2010. An additional unconfirmed sighting took place in the Bukit Rimbang-Baling Wildlife Sanctuary in 2000. [1] In 2006, a camera-trap surveying for tigers close to Kerinci Seblat National Park, also in the Barisan Mountains, captured multiple images of the Sumatran ground cuckoo for the first time since 1997 and only the second time in the last ninety years. [6]

In 2007, its call was recorded for the first time according to the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society in a statement released February 26. The call was recorded by WCS biologists after a trapper handed them a bird he had caught. [7]

In 2017, a camera trap in Batang Gadis National Park took a photo of a Sumatran ground cuckoo, indicating that a previously-unknown population may exist in North Sumatra. [6]

Status and conservation

Due to ongoing habitat loss and small population size, the Sumatran ground cuckoo is evaluated as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [1]

Though there is limited knowledge on the Sumatran ground cuckoo itself, it is thought to face many of the same population pressures as the Sumatran elephant, orangutan, rhinoceros, and tiger. Deforestation is the main threat [2] [1] and was found to result in an average 2% loss of forest within Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, one of the bird's primary refuges, between 1985 and 1999. [8] The park's lower montane forest is usually removed to make way for palm oil plantations; since 2006 Indonesia has been the biggest producer of palm oil and has seen a 400% growth in production between 1994 and 2004. Production is expected to double by the end of 2030. [9] As the Sumatran ground cuckoo prefers primary forest with dense undergrowth, reforestation is unlikely to be as effective as protective measures for currently-existing habitat. [1] Even protected areas, however, are experiencing significant rates of deforestation. [8] The type locality, Gunung Singgalang, has seen reduction of forest up to 1,800-1,900m as early as 1917. [5]

Because it is a ground forager, the Sumatran ground cuckoo may also be susceptible to bycatch through hunting by use of snares: a bird was recently captured in a snare that was almost certainly set for Red Junglefowl. [1]

Limited conservation actions are currently underway. The Barisan Mountains contain 20 protected areas, some of which lie within the Sumatran ground cuckoo's currently known range. [5] The species likely benefits from many of the protected areas established for other Sumatran endemics, but its full spectrum of conservation needs is unlikely to be known until further surveys are conducted. [1]

The IUCN has made a number of suggestions for future conservation actions. Now that the species' call has been recorded, it is possible to conduct extensive surveys to better establish its true range, distribution, and population, and to determine its habitat requirements, threats, and conservation needs. Once surveys have provided sufficient information, the IUCN advises a review of existing protected areas and, if key populations are not adequately represented within them, advocation for further establishment of strategic protected areas. Like many other Sumatran endemics, the species should be afforded full protection under Indonesian law. [1]

The Sumatran ground cuckoo may benefit if ecotourism is introduced to the area, but this still entails commodifying habitat, and may help in the short-term but would not be a guarantee of future conservation.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatra</span> Island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands

Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 475,807.63 km2 (182,812 mi.2), including adjacent islands such as the Simeulue, Nias, Mentawai, Enggano, Riau Islands, Bangka Belitung and Krakatoa archipelago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orang Pendek</span> Creature from Indonesian folklore

In Indonesian folklore, the Orang Pendek is the most common name given to a creature said to inhabit remote, mountainous forests on the island of Sumatra. The creature has allegedly been seen and documented for at least 100 years by forest tribes, local villagers, Dutch colonists, and Western scientists and travelers. Consensus among witnesses is that the animal is a ground-dwelling, bipedal primate covered in short fur, standing between 80 and 150 cm tall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian golden cat</span> Small wild cat

The Asian golden cat is a medium-sized wild cat native to the northeastern Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China. It has been listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List since 2008, and is threatened by poaching and habitat destruction, since Southeast Asian forests are undergoing the world's fastest regional deforestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatran tiger</span> Tiger subspecies endemic to Sumatra

The Sumatran tiger is a population of Panthera tigris sondaica on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is the only surviving tiger population in the Sunda Islands, where the Bali and Javan tigers are extinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gunung Leuser National Park</span> National park in Sumatra, Indonesia

Gunung Leuser National Park is a national park covering 7,927 km2 in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, straddling the border of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces, a fourth portion and three-fourths portion, respectively. The national park, settled in the Barisan mountain range, is named after Mount Leuser (3,119 m), and protects a wide range of ecosystems. An orangutan sanctuary at Bukit Lawang is located within the park. Together with Bukit Barisan Selatan and Kerinci Seblat National Parks, it forms a World Heritage Site, the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatran striped rabbit</span> Species of rabbit from Sumatra

The Sumatran striped rabbit, also known as the Sumatra short-eared rabbit or Sumatran rabbit, is a rabbit found only in forests in the Barisan Mountains in western Sumatra, Indonesia, and surrounding areas. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerinci Seblat National Park</span> National park on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia

Kerinci Seblat National Park is the largest national park on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. It has a total area of 13,791 km2, and spans four provinces: West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu, and South Sumatra.

The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. It comprises three Indonesian national parks on the island of Sumatra: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The site is listed under Criteria vii - outstanding scenic beauty; ix- an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes; and x- contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation. The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra has been placed on the Danger List since 2011 to help overcome threats posed by poaching, illegal logging, agricultural encroachment, and plans to build roads through the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park</span> National park in Sumatra, Indonesia

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is a national park in Sumatra, Indonesia. The park located along the Bukit Barisan mountain range, has a total area of 3,568 km2, and spans three provinces: Lampung, Bengkulu, and South Sumatra. Together with Gunung Leuser and Kerinci Seblat national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banded palm civet</span> Species of carnivore

The banded palm civet, also called the banded civet, is a viverrid native to Indomalaya. They primarily inhabit lowland conifer habitat, which is under threat from encroaching human activity. It is estimated the population of the banded palm civet has decreased by around 30% in just three generations. Banded palm civets are usually approximately the size of a domestic cat; their fur is pale but with dark bands on the back. They are believed to be closely related to Hose's palm civets, which are similar in appearance and distribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunda clouded leopard</span> Species of carnivore

The Sunda clouded leopard is a medium-sized wild cat native to Borneo and Sumatra. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2015, as the total effective population probably consists of fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, with a decreasing population trend. On both Sunda Islands, it is threatened by deforestation. It was classified as a separate species, distinct from the clouded leopard in mainland Southeast Asia based on a study in 2006. Its fur is darker with a smaller cloud pattern.

Wijayarana modiglianii is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to Sumatra (Indonesia). It was originally only known from two locations near Lake Toba, but is now known to be more widespread. The specific name modiglianii honors Elio Modigliani, an Italian anthropologist and zoologist who collected the holotype in 1891. Common name Modigliani's huia frog has been coined for this species. Morphological evidence suggests that it can hybridize with Huia sumatrana, but this needs confirmation using genetic data.

The Sumatran muntjac is a subspecies of Indian muntjac in the deer family which can be the size of a large dog. It was discovered in 1914, but had not been sighted since 1930 until one was snared and freed from a hunter's snare in Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia in 2002. Two other Sumatran muntjac have since been photographed in the park. The Sumatran muntjac was placed on the IUCN Red List in 2008, but was listed as Data Deficient, as taxonomic issues are still unresolved. The distribution of the taxon is also uncertain and may be more extensive than suggested. It is possible that some previous sightings of the common muntjac in Western Sumatra were the Sumatran muntjac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatran tropical pine forests</span> Terrestrial ecoregion on Sumatra

The Sumatran tropical pine forests is a tropical coniferous forest ecoregion on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatran clouded leopard</span> Sunda clouded leopard subspecies

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatran lowland rain forests</span> Ecoregion in Sumatra, Indonesia

The Sumatran lowland rain forests ecoregion covers the lowland forests running the length of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. The region is one of exceptionally high biodiversity, similar to Borneo and New Guinea islands. Many endangered mammals species are present, and over 450 species of birds have been found in the region. In recent years, illegal logging and human encroachment have put great strain on this ecoregion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sumatran montane rain forests</span>

The Sumatran montane rain forests ecoregion covers the mountainous elevations of the Barisan Mountains Range that runs the length of the southwestern side of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. The ecoregion is almost completely surrounded by the lower elevation Sumatran lowland rain forests. The area is one of very high biodiversity - because of the relative isolation, and variety of forest types, there are 7 endemic species of mammals and eight endemic species of birds.

Erni Suyanti Musabine is an Indonesian wildlife veterinarian. She works for the Wildlife Rescue Unit of the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Since 2007, her work has focused on the conservation and rescue of Sumatran tigers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Sumatran rhinoceros</span> Subspecies of mammal

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 BirdLife International. (2017) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Carpococcyx viridis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T22724459A112393882. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22724459A112393882.en . Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "EDGE of Existence". EDGE of Existence. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  3. ↑ "Sumatran Ground-cuckoo (Carpococcyx viridis)". www.hbw.com. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  4. ↑ "EDGE of Existence". EDGE of Existence. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  5. 1 2 3 "Sumatran Ground-cuckoo (Carpococcyx viridis) - BirdLife species factsheet". datazone.birdlife.org. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  6. 1 2 "Camera trap records nearly extinct cuckoo bird in Sumatra". news.mongabay.com. 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  7. ↑ "Lost Cuckoo Breaks Its Silence". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  8. 1 2 Kinnaird, Margaret F.; Sanderson, Eric W.; O'Brien, Timothy G.; Wibisono, Hariyo T.; Woolmer, Gillian (2003-02-01). "Deforestation trends in a tropical landscape and implications for endangered large mammals". Conservation Biology. 17 (1): 245–257. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.2003.02040.x. ISSN   1523-1739.
  9. ↑ Gilbert, Natasha (2012-07-05). "Palm-oil boom raises conservation concerns". Nature. 487 (7405): 14–15. Bibcode:2012Natur.487...14G. doi: 10.1038/487014a . PMID   22763524.
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