By about 1990, the wild pink pigeon population had dwindled to roughly 10 birds amid habitat loss, fragmentation and pressure from introduced species. An endangered bird in Mauritius has made a gradual recovery through decades of conservation work, but rising numbers have not eliminated the risks to its long-term survival. Captive breeding and releases helped rebuild the population to several hundred birds, although concerns remain about the genetic diversity needed to sustain that recovery.
Its numbers fell over decades as natural habitats were destroyed or fragmented and introduced species added pressure on the remaining population. The findings showed that genetic diversity continued to decline despite the increase in numbers. The research highlights why population size alone cannot establish whether a threatened species is secure and why conservation programs must also protect the genetic variation needed for long-term survival. The pink pigeon ( Nesoenas mayeri ) is native to Mauritius. To prevent extinction, conservationists established a captive breeding program and used its birds to reinforce wild populations. Using DNA sequencing, genetic markers, and computer simulations, they investigated how the species’ genetic makeup changed during its collapse and recovery.
A 2022 study published in Conservation Biology examined the genetic consequences of the pink pigeon’s population collapse and subsequent recovery. Researchers analyzed genetic data from wild pigeons alongside breeding records covering 1,112 birds held in zoos across Europe and the United States.
By 2013, the free-living population had grown to around 400 birds, according to the research. The broader recovery brought the population to an estimated 400 to 480 birds, and the species was subsequently reclassified on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, moving from Critically Endangered to Vulnerable through two status changes.
These improvements reflected a meaningful conservation achievement, but they did not remove the genetic risks created by the earlier population collapse.
Computer simulations indicated that inbreeding could contribute to the accumulation of harmful mutations and that the wild population could face extinction within 100 years of the study’s 2022 publication if the modeled risks remained unaddressed. That projection is a scenario, not a fixed deadline, and should not be interpreted as a prediction that extinction will occur by 2122. The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation’s report, World Endangered Species Day: Pink Pigeon Captive Breeding 2023/2024 at GDEWS , describes efforts to address these concerns.
Instead, it underscores the importance of genetic management, including introducing birds that carry genetic variation missing or underrepresented in the wild population. The foundation worked with the National Parks and Conservation Service, Paignton Zoo and Jersey Zoo to manage breeding at the Gerald Durrell Endemic Wildlife Sanctuary. The foundation’s report illustrates how breeding programs increasingly aim to preserve genetic diversity alongside population growth. Captive populations in overseas zoos may retain genetic material that is missing or underrepresented among wild pigeons in Mauritius, making carefully planned pairings an important conservation tool. The species’ recovery demonstrates the value of captive breeding, while its continuing genetic challenges show why rebuilding numbers is only one part of protecting a threatened population.
