Global Birdfair funding gives new hope to São Tomé and Príncipe’s rarest birds

Global Birdfair funding gives new hope to São Tomé and Príncipe’s rarest birds A US$150,000 donation from Global Birdfair will help protect three Critically Endangered birds found nowhere else on Earth, bringing together science and local knowledge to prevent their extinction. There are places where finding a single bird can change what we know about an entire species. In the forests of São Tomé, a small island rising from the Gulf of Guinea, that possibility is very real. Hidden beneath the canopy are three birds found nowhere else on Earth: the Dwarf Ibis, São Tomé Grosbeak and Newton’s Fiscal. All three are Critically Endangered. Two may number fewer than 250 individuals. One disappeared from scientific records for more than a century before being found again. For birds this rare, every sighting matters. Every new nesting site, every better understanding of a threat, and every person who knows where to look can help build the knowledge needed to keep a species from disappearing. Now, a US$150,000 donation from Global Birdfair is giving the BirdLife São Tomé and Príncipe programme the opportunity to find out more and turn that knowledge into action. Marquinha Martins - Head of Projects Office, Sao Tome & Principe at BirdLife International “We are very excited and proud to receive this year’s Global Birdfair funding. It shows just how committed people around the world are to protecting unique species. “For these Critically Endangered birds of São Tomé and Príncipe, whose isolation makes them particularly vulnerable, this funding is especially important. We cannot wait to continue building our knowledge of these incredible creatures, because every piece of knowledge we gain, every threat we understand better and every conservation action we put in place can make a real difference. “This support gives us the opportunity to discover more about these remarkable birds and, most importantly, to turn that knowledge into action. We are deeply grateful to everyone who believes these species are worth protecting – and we cannot wait to get to work.” Three birds, one island, nowhere else São Tomé and Príncipe is one of those extraordinary places where isolation has allowed nature to take its own course. Over thousands of years, species evolved here that exist nowhere else. But the same isolation that makes the islands so rich in life also makes their wildlife exceptionally vulnerable. Among the most threatened is the Dwarf Ibis, a secretive forest bird whose distinctive call can be heard among the trees. Fewer than 2,000 individuals are believed to remain. Rarer still may be the São Tomé Grosbeak. For more than 100 years, the species was known only from a handful of museum specimens and was feared lost before its rediscovery in 1991. Today, possibly fewer than 250 mature birds survive. Then there is Newton’s Fiscal, a striking black-and-white bird that inhabits the island’s forest ridges. Its population, too, is thought to number fewer than 250 individuals. Their entire global existence is concentrated within the forests of one small island. Habitat loss from agricultural expansion and timber extraction continues to shrink those forests, while hunting, disturbance and invasive mammals place additional pressure on populations already perilously small. When numbers fall this low, protecting what remains is vital. But first, conservationists need to know exactly where the birds are, how their populations are changing and which threats are having the greatest impact. From hunters to guardians of the forest Since 2018, BirdLife has worked with local partners and communities in São Tomé and Príncipe to strengthen the protection of the islands’ remarkable biodiversity. An initiative between 2022 and 2024 explored a different way of addressing hunting pressure: working with hunters themselves. Generations spent moving through São Tomé’s forests have given local hunters detailed knowledge of the landscape and its wildlife. Rather than treating that knowledge as something separate from conservation, the project sought to put it to work. Seventy-five hunters became “Agents of Change”, learning more about threatened wildlife and sustainable hunting while sharing their own understanding of the forest. Today, participants are helping to locate rare species including the Dwarf Ibis and reporting illegal bird hunting. Hunters also worked alongside national authorities, biologists and civil society to contribute to the review of hunting legislation and a roadmap for its improvement. But changing the relationship between people and wildlife also means recognising the realities facing families whose livelihoods may depend on natural resources. Twenty-five hunters therefore received mentoring to explore alternative sources of income and develop basic business and financial skills. Five of the strongest ideas went on to receive technical and financial support to put their plans into practice. It demonstrated something important: the people living closest to threatened wildlife can also become some of its most valuable allies. A global community behind some of the world’s rarest birds The donation continues the remarkable support that the Global Birdfair community has provided to BirdLife conservation projects around the world. Each year, thousands of bird lovers come together at Global Birdfair in the UK, alongside sponsors, exhibitors and volunteers, turning a shared passion for birds into practical support for conservation. This year, that support will travel thousands of kilometres to a tiny island in the Gulf of Guinea and to three species whose futures depend on what happens next. Tim Appleton MBE and Penny Robinson, founders and organisers of Global Birdfair, would like to thank everyone who helped achieve this year’s incredible fundraising total, including Global Birdfair’s sponsors, visitors, exhibitors and the many volunteers who give their time to make the event possible. Tim Appleton, MBE, Founder of Global Birdfair “Selecting a Global Birdfair conservation project is more difficult than it might seem. There are always so many challenges for conservation around the world. We need to know the funds we donate to BirdLife International can have a significant impact to help endangered species and habitats as well as supporting local communities. Preventing Island Extinctions in Sao Tome and Principe has the potential to provide a stronger future for the nation’s nature and people. We hope the project is a great success for all.”