The Mariana Crow, also known as the "Aga," has been dwindling in population for years. However, conservation efforts are showing new hope for this beautiful, black bird.
As Radio New Zealand noted, "Since 2017, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the University of Washington have collaborated to rear and release 90 captive-raised Mariana Crows."
Now, around 300 Mariana Crows can be found in the wild in Rota, an island in the Pacific Ocean. It takes them a step closer to being removed from the endangered species list.
Originally populating the islands of Guam and Rota in the Mariana Islands, the Mariana Crow began to decline in population following the introduction of the Brown tree snake, and the bird no longer lives on Guam. Still, the work of these incredible researchers has helped rebound the crow's population in Rota.
"It's significant because it means the birds we rear and release are not only surviving, but they're also displaying normal social behavior," said Sarah Faegre, Rota Avian Behavioral Ecology Program's primary investigator, per Radio New Zealand.
"They're pairing and reproducing in the wild, which is exactly what we need them to do."
Other conservation projects are bringing more endangered or near-endangered species back from the edge of total annihilation. The Sombrero ground lizard has gone from 100 lizards in 2021 to over 1,600 as of 2025. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, the critically endangered Roanoke logperch has been reintroduced into the Mayo River by similar conservation efforts.
While the Mariana Crow still faces concerns, including a yet-to-be-understood disease affecting young birds, researchers and conservationists are hopeful for the species' future.
"We are on the cusp of something really important," Faegre said, per Radio New Zealand. "This species has a chance — not just to survive, but to thrive again."
To do your part in supporting conservation efforts like the one uplifting the Mariana Crow, you can get involved in aiding climate issues by taking local action as well as educating yourself on climate issues, like species endangerment.
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