Rare ‘little dodo’ manumea sighted multiple times in remote Samoan rainforest

Lead

Field teams from the Samoa Conservation Society (SCS) reported five separate sightings of the manumea (Didunculus strigirostris) during a survey conducted from Oct. 17–Nov. 13 in remote coastal rainforest near Uafato, Samoa. The repeated observations — the first cluster of sightings since a lone photograph in 2013 — offer cautious hope that the critically endangered, dodo-related bird still persists in the wild. Researchers say hunting is now outlawed and awareness efforts are in place, but invasive predators remain the primary immediate threat. The survey’s results have prompted calls for expanded predator control, habitat protection and genetic safeguarding measures.

Key Takeaways

• SCS field survey (Oct. 17–Nov. 13) recorded five manumea sightings in Uafato, compared with one or zero in prior recent surveys.
• The manumea (Didunculus strigirostris) is the only living species in its genus and is roughly chicken-sized; its common name means “little dodo.”
• The last confirmed wild photograph was taken in 2013, underscoring how rarely the species is documented.
• Hunting of manumea is now prohibited and subject to fines; public-awareness campaigns, including murals reading “Save the manumea” in Samoan, have been launched.
• Conservationists identify invasive predators — especially feral cats and rats — as the leading immediate threat to adults, chicks and eggs.
• Partners propose invasive-species management, expansion of existing control programs, biobanking of genetic material and possible future captive-breeding as next steps.
• Private and nonprofit partners involved include the Samoa Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, BirdLife International, the Toledo Zoo and the Colossal Foundation.

Background

The manumea is endemic to Samoa and is classified among island ground pigeons closely related to the extinct dodo; its scientific name Didunculus strigirostris literally means “little dodo.” Historically, hunting and habitat loss reduced its numbers, and the arrival of nonnative predators compounded declines. In recent years Samoa enacted protections and fines for hunting and ran public-awareness efforts — including murals and community outreach — to reduce human pressures.

Despite protection measures, the bird remained exceptionally elusive. Prior surveys returned at most a single sighting or none, and the last widely circulated photo from the wild dates to 2013. Limited funding, rugged terrain and the species’ cryptic behavior have hampered efforts to monitor population trends or confirm distribution across the archipelago.

Main Event

The October–November SCS survey concentrated on the remote coastal rainforest around Uafato, an area believed to hold a small remnant population. Field teams detected the manumea on five occasions, often at a distance and under rainy conditions that limited photographic documentation. Observers relied on binocular sightings and auditory cues; by the time researchers lowered their optics to ready a camera, the birds frequently moved out of view.

Moeumu Uili, SCS project coordinator for manumea work, described the birds as appearing suddenly and vanishing just as fast, which explains the difficulty of obtaining clear images despite repeated detections. The team notes that manumea may also persist in up to six other forested areas across Samoa, although systematic surveys in those sites are incomplete.

Existing invasive-species control is active in at least one reserve, the Malololelei Recreation Reserve. Conservation partners say expanding predator management from protected pockets into additional forests such as Uafato is the immediate priority, contingent on securing funding and community cooperation.

Analysis & Implications

The sightings shift the conservation picture from near-certainty of extirpation toward a window for targeted intervention, but the situation remains fragile. With so few confirmed contacts over a decade, population size, age structure and reproductive success are effectively unknown; that lack of demographic data complicates planning for captive breeding or translocation. Experts emphasize that control of feral cats and rats is the most direct intervention likely to reduce mortality of adults, chicks and eggs.

Genetic preservation is also being discussed as a parallel strategy. Biobanking biological samples to create cultured cell lines would allow researchers to analyze genetic diversity and guide any captive-breeding program. However, genetic rescue or captive programs require sufficient founding individuals to avoid inbreeding and preserve adaptive capacity.

Some private groups are exploring technological tools to improve monitoring. The Colossal Foundation is supporting an app to distinguish manumea calls from other species to refine prevalence estimates. At the same time, paleogeneticists caution against overreliance on de-extinction rhetoric: reintroducing extinct or highly modified taxa into changed ecosystems can have unforeseen ecological consequences and must be weighed carefully alongside classic conservation actions.

Comparison & Data

This simplified table shows the relative rarity of detections over the past decade and highlights why five sightings in a single targeted survey are noteworthy. The numbers reflect detection events, not population size, and teams stress that intermittent observations may underrepresent true abundance due to the species’ secretive behavior and survey limitations.

Reactions & Quotes

Researchers and conservation partners reacted cautiously optimistic but clear-eyed about next steps. Below are representative statements with contextual framing.

“What happens if we can’t find the bird? Does that mean the manumea is no more?”

Moeumu Uili, SCS project coordinator

Uili framed the survey’s finding as relief tempered by urgency: confirming presence does not equal population security, and immediate management is needed to reduce known threats.

“It seems very likely that feral cats are a major cause of decline. There has to be some kind of control program.”

Joe Wood, Manager, International Conservation Programs, Toledo Zoo

Wood emphasized predator control as the practical conservation priority and noted institutional efforts to coordinate action under IUCN working groups addressing manumea recovery.

“You must bring back enough genetic diversity so they can adapt and survive.”

Nic Rawlence, Associate Professor, Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory

Rawlence cautioned that any genetic or de-extinction-oriented interventions must meet thresholds for diversity (commonly cited conservation heuristics) and be paired with habitat and predator management.

Unconfirmed

• Exact current population size and distribution remain unknown; five sightings indicate presence but do not quantify abundance.
• The effectiveness and timeline for scaling invasive-predator control in Uafato and other forests depend on funding and local coordination and are not yet secured.
• Claims about de-extinction projects restoring dodos or analogous outcomes for manumea remain speculative and face ecological, technical and ethical hurdles.

Bottom Line

The multiple detections of manumea in a concentrated survey area are an important conservation signal: the species has not been conclusively lost from the wild. However, confirmation of presence is only the first step — immediate, sustained work on invasive-predator control, habitat protection and community-led stewardship will determine whether those sightings translate into a stable recovery.

Genetic safeguarding and improved monitoring tools can support longer-term strategies, but experts stress that conventional, on-the-ground measures (predator control, habitat restoration, translocation and careful captive-breeding if feasible) must lead the response. Securing funding, local buy-in and cross-institutional coordination will be critical in the months and years ahead.

Sources

• Live Science (media report summarizing SCS survey and interviews)
• Toledo Zoo (conservation institution quoted via its International Conservation Programs)
• Colossal Biosciences (private foundation supporting technological and genetic aspects of conservation)
• BirdLife International (global NGO partner in bird conservation)