In the immensity of the Pacific, some islands have seen their biological balance upset by invisible intrusions from elsewhere. In Guam, this imbalance has sealed the fate of the Martin-Chasseur cinnamon, disappeared in the wild since the end of the 1980s. Forty years later, far from its original territory, this bird with flamboyant hues attempted a discreet reappearance on a preserved atoll, relaunching the hope of a rebirth guided by the hand of the human.
The latest observation of a Martin-Chasseur Cinnelle in the wild dates from 1988. Aware of the emergency, biologists then made a radical decision. Twenty-nine specimens were captured and placed in a breeding program under the supervision of accredited institutions in the United States. This initiative, carried out in American zoos, has made it possible to ensure the survival of the species in captivity for almost forty years. Despite the efforts, no reintroduction on Guam was possible, the brown serpent still representing a constant threat.
The program nevertheless continued its research to offer these birds a new virgin territory of predators. It was finally the Atoll Palmyra, located more than 1,600 kilometers south of Hawaii, which was selected. This protected reserve, surrounded by one of the largest marine monuments in the world, offered an ideal environment for a first attempt to return to wild life.
On the Atoll Palmyra, nature offers a second breath to reintroduced birds
In September 2024, nine martins-cinnamon hunters, raised by hand by trainers, were released on the Atoll. This discreet release marked the start of a new hope. Birds quickly started to adapt. They explored their new environment, caught with geckos and spiders, then dug nests in the trunks. Four couples have established their territory and launched a reproduction phase, according to the Zoological Society of London. This organization closely follows the Sihek Recovery program. The official announcement was made on April 22, 2025.
According to the official ZSL website, several eggs were discovered in recently built nests. This event marks the first laying documented in nature since the extinction of the species in Guam. However, scientists remain cautious. The couples are still very young, and it is their very first brood. The chances of hatching are limited during the first reproductive cycles, birds still learning to effectively covered and protect their eggs.
Despite this uncertainty, signs are encouraging. The instinctive behavior observed on Palmyra shows that the link between the species and its habitat can be recovered outside its native island. Other birds should be released during the summer, with the aim of forming a self -sufficient population. Through this operation, conservation becomes more than a backup gesture. It becomes an act of slow reconstruction, where nature had been reduced to silence.
