The Sedgwick County Zoo has participated in a global recovery program that is working to re-establish the Guam Sihek population in the wild.    Six of the birds, also known as the Guam Kingfisher, have been released into the tropical forests of the Palmyra Atoll, and it’s the first time since the 1980s that the birds have been in the wild.

The Zoo has been involved with the Sihek Recovery Program, which includes the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Guam Department of Agriculture’s Division of Aquatic & Wildlife Resources (DOAG), ZSL, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

First listed under the Guam Endangered Species Act in 1982, the sihek was subsequently added to the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1984.  Endemic to the forests of Guam and culturally important to the CHamoru people, the sihek have been extinct in the wild since 1988 due to predation by the invasive, brown tree snake. The Guam DOAG and AZA rescued 29 sihek and established a captive-care program, which currently is composed of 127 adult sihek across 25 institutions, nationwide.

Scott Newland, President & CEO of Sedgwick County Zoo, said in a press release, “AZA partners have proudly maintained the Sihek population in human care since 1988. Without the dedication of our aviculturists and the support of zoos, this release would not have been possible. Our work with this species has provided us with valuable knowledge, allowing us to tailor this release to give the birds the best chance for success. For AZA, this release represents the culmination of nearly 40 years of collaboration, research, and dedication aimed at seeing the Sihek flying back on Guam one day.”

At this time, six of the nine sihek were deemed ready for release. The remaining three will be released individually as each bird reaches milestones needed to survive in the wild. This approach provides necessary flexibility, as some birds may require more time to prepare for life in the wild. Sihek Recovery Program partners plan to continue supplementing the population annually, with a target of establishing 10 sihek breeding pairs.

[ photo:  Sedgwick County Zoo – Facebook ]