Originally published August 9 2005
Portuguese seabird increases in numbers
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A rare Portuguese seabird's numbers are increasing, bringing hope that it may be safe from extinction.
There were between 65 and 80 breeding pairs of the long-winged bird in 2004, up from between 30 and 40 pairs a decade ago, the island's environment secretary told national news agency Lusa.
Under the criteria of the Swiss-based IUCN, or World Conservation Union, a key conservation agency, this means the bird is now "endangered" as opposed to "critically endangered", he added.
An "endangered" species faces a "very high" risk of extinction in the wild while a "critically endangered" species faces a an "extremely high risk", according to the criteria of the agency.
The Zino's Petrel is believed to be Europe's rarest breeding seabird and was thought to be extinct in the 1960s.
It is protected by Portuguese law and officials on the island of Madeira have sought to protect its habitat since the 1980s.
The bird lives at sea where it feeds on plankton but comes to nest on Madeira's highest peaks.
It can live up to 15 years but only becomes reproductive at the age of six, when females lay their first eggs.
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